Hedwig, I Don't Think We're At Hogwarts Anymore
by PotentialDarkWizard
Summary: What does it mean when a twister hits Hogwarts? That it's time for a Wizard of Oz parody of course! A humourous tale in which Harry finds himself somewhere over the rainbow, and though everyone looks familiar, no one is who they seem!
1. Ch1: Not At Hogwarts Anymore

**What does it mean when a twister hits Hogwarts?**

**It's time for a Wizard Of Oz parody of course!**

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own Harry Potter, or anything Harry Potter related. The Wizard Of Oz isn't mine either. Too bad, eh?**

**Here it is, my first story at last! WOOT!**

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Hedwig, I Don't Think We're At Hogwarts Anymore…

.:)1(:.

.:) Chapter 1: Not At Hogwarts Anymore (:.

It was one of the worst storms in the history of Hogwarts. Thick black clouds billowed across the sky. It was so dark that one would have thought that it was late evening, when in truth it was barely noon. Wind howled among the turrets of Hogwarts, and cold rain fell like stones. If things were bad for those on the ground however, it was nothing compared to the state of those in the air. It was hardly ideal Quidditch practice conditions.

Harry knew that a little storm had never stopped Oliver Wood from holding a Quidditch practice before, but even Wood couldn't deny that things were getting more than a little out of hand. It was a complete disaster. The rain seemed to come from every direction at once. The wind was so strong that even Harry's Firebolt couldn't fly straight. Wood had been blown off into the stands, the chasers had lost the quaffle, and Fred and George kept hitting everyone, mistaking them for bludgers. Harry couldn't even find the ground, never mind the snitch.

Suddenly, a great gust of wind like a small hurricane pummelled Harry and whipped him right off the pitch. As his Firebolt jerked violently beneath him, he struggled to keep a hold on it. Once he righted himself, he looked up only to have something hit him in the face. Something white and soft. Something that cried "HOOT!" in his ear.

"Hedwig!" He quickly put an arm around her before she could blow away.

"You should have stayed at the owlry. What are you doing here?" She gave a feeble 'hoot; in reply and perched on his shoulder. She swayed dangerously in the fierce wind. Harry winced as her talons dug into his shoulder.

Harry looked around vainly trying to identify his surroundings. He was being tossed like a quaffle by the wind.

"Don't worry, Hedwig," he called over the wind. "I think I can see the castle up ahead! Yes! Wait…no? No! That's the Whomping Willow!"

-CRACK!-

The willow dealt him a vicious blow, knocking him from the sky. He fell to the ground, winded and dazed, gasping for breath. Hedwig began to 'hoot' in alarm. Quickly, Harry held her close in the folds of his robes to shield her from the wind and rain. Unable to see past his own nose, Harry began fighting through the storm in what he prayed was the direction of the castle.

Harry was immensely relieved when his outstretched hand touched a wall. A moment later however, he was dismayed to discover that this couldn't possibly be the castle because it was made of wood. Fervently hoping that this was not the broom shed, he began to feel his way around the perimeter of the building. Upon reaching a large wooden door, he realised that this must be Hagrid's house.

"We're safe now," he told Hedwig. "We'll be able to wait the storm out with Hagrid." Heartened by this thought, Harry heaved open the heavy door and quickly slipped inside before the wind could shut it.

Once inside though, Harry was disappointed to see that the house was deserted. At least, he thought it was. It was hard to tell. Harry was surprised to find that he was having almost as much trouble seeing inside as he had had outside. Something, he realised, was missing. Bringing his hands to his face his suspicions were confirmed. He was no longer wearing his glasses. But when had he lost them, and how had he not noticed before?

"Of course," he groaned. "They must have fallen off when the willow hit me, but since I couldn't see anything even when I had them, I didn't even realise that they were missing!" After being released from his robes, Hedwig flew across the room to a small table on which she happily perched. No sooner had she landed though, when she was forced to take flight again as the table toppled to the floor. Harry jumped at the sound of a teapot smashing.

"Be careful, Hedwig!" he scolded. He began to get seriously worried however, when more of Hagrid's possessions began to drop from the shelves, seemingly of their own accord. He looked up and felt a fine cloud of dust settle upon his face as the rafters rattled. The whole house groaned against the rage of the storm.

"Hoot hoot!" Hedwig called from somewhere over his head.

"Yes, I hope the house can hold out too, Hedwig." Harry replied, though privately, he thought their chances seemed pretty slim at this point.

As if on cue, the window behind Harry burst open allowing vicious gusts of wind to tear through the room like a herd of angry hippogriffs. Instantly, Harry's already blurry world became a flurry of colour and noise. Feeling as though the world was collapsing around him, Harry staggered across the hut, buffeted by the wind. He cried out in pain and surprise as his shins came in contact with an overturned chair. The last thing he was able to make out before his world went black was the ground rushing up to meet him.

.:)-(:.

Harry moaned softly as he regained consciousness. The first thing he became aware of was a dull ache in his shins. The next thing he became aware of was the fact that he was sprawled on a hard floor with a large cushion on his head.

"Why is there a cushion on my head?" he wondered aloud, shoving the cushion aside. He sat up and observed his surroundings. "And why am I in Hagrid's hut?" he questioned, rubbing his sore head. Once his vision had stopped swimming, he was able to clearly see the wreckage around him. Memories came flooding back to him. Quidditch, the storm, Hedwig, the willow. Then it occurred to him just how very odd it was that he could see anything clearly at all.

"How very odd," he murmured, bringing his fingers to his face. As expected, he did not feel any glasses, yet the room before him was clear as veritaserum. He got slowly to his feet and surveyed the room silently. He was speechless, half with shock at the damage around him and half with amazement at his miraculous clarity of vision.

He was startled out of his silent thoughts by a large, wool blanket that had begun to hop towards him, hooting angrily.

"Hedwig!" he exclaimed, rushing to free her from the blanket. "Are you all right? You'd better stay up here." He motioned for her to perch on his shoulder. But Hedwig, it seemed, was not in the mood to perch on his shoulder. Instead, she began hopping up and down, and flailing her wings in a rather lopsided fashion. Thoroughly puzzled, Harry bent down and picked her up. On closer inspection, he discovered that her left wing was looking a little mangled.

"Did something land on you?" he asked, concerned. Hedwig blinked at him and wondered why he asked so many rhetorical questions. "I can't hear the storm anymore, so we'd better get you up to the castle to see Madame Pomfrey."

Weaving through the disaster that was Hagrid's hut, he place Hedwig on his shoulder and strode purposefully out the door. The next instant however, he stopped dead in his tracks, as if he had just seen a basilisk. Had he actually seen a basilisk snaking its way towards him from Hogwarts, he wouldn't even have been half as surprised as he was by what he saw now. Not only could he see no basilisk, but he couldn't even see Hogwarts.

Gone was the forest, gone was the lake, gone was the castle and all its students along with everything else that Harry had expected to see. He turned to look at the building that he had just exited. There was no doubt about it. Though more than a little worse for the wear, it was definitely the ever familiar (if somewhat battered) home of his good friend Hagrid. Utterly bewildered, Harry turned back to view the bizarre fantasy that had suddenly become his reality.

Small brightly coloured houses were scattered out around him like a bag of gobstones strewn across the floor. There was no sign of life anywhere, but Harry seriously doubted that any people could live here. He was sure that he could not have stood up straight without hitting the roof inside any of the houses that he could see. He wouldn't even be able to get through their front doors without crawling on his hands and knees. A strange, shiny path made of small yellow stones wound its way haphazardly among the buildings, as though it kept changing its mind about which way it wanted to go. To top it off, the entire scene looked as if it had been painted by a five-year-old. This place had more colours than a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans.

Once Harry had managed to pull his jaw off the ground, he turned to the silent snowy owl on his shoulder.

"Hedwig, I don't think we're at Hogwarts anymore…"

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**What do you think? I'd be really grateful if you leave a review, to let me know that you've read it. This is my first story, so please tell me how I'm doing! I hope to keep the updates coming at a steady pace.**

**I'd also be interested to hear your guesses as to who the characters will be played by. Every character has been replaced by someone from Harry's world. I've already decided them all though (unless you've got a much better idea! I'll credit you if I change my idea to yours). Also, it could be the Wicked Witch of the West or the Wicked Wizard of the West! Anything goes!**

**_.:) PotentialDarkWizard (:._**

**MWA HA HA HA HA!**


	2. Ch2: The Ruby Spectacles

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own Harry Potter, or anything Harry Potter related. The Wizard of Oz isn't mine either. Too bad, eh?**

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.:)2(:.

.:) Chapter 2: The Ruby Spectacles (:.

Harry cautiously began to make his way towards the strange buildings. Though nothing in the vicinity seemed even remotely threatening, the eerie silence was unnerving. Still recovering from his initial shock, Harry neglected to watch his feet and suddenly found himself once again crashing to the ground. As Hedwig fluttered to the ground beside him, Harry rubbed his now bruised bruises and muttered to himself.

"This is becoming painfully monotonous."

Reaching under himself to find whatever it was that he had stumbled upon, he found what appeared to be a long black staff. Seeing the ornate silver headpiece, Harry assumed that it was a walking stick, but it was much too tall to belong to anyone who lived here. Harry took a closer look at the headpiece, then gasped. This staff was capped with a silver snake head. He would know this staff anywhere, it belonged to…

"Welcome!" Harry jumped up so fast that he almost fell back down. He whirled around to face the owner of the familiar voice who seemed to have appeared of thin air.

"Hermione!" he exclaimed. "How did you get here? And where are we? And… and why are you wearing that big pink dress?"

The person smiling sweetly before him certainly looked like Hermione, except that she was wearing what appeared to be a fairy tale ball gown and a glittering tiara.

"Hermione?" he asked. A flurry of giggles erupted around him. He was sure he could just see flickers of movement at the edge of his vision. When he turned to look however, he saw no one and the giggles stopped as suddenly as they had started. He turned back to Hermione questioningly.

"I'm afraid I know no one of that name," she said, still smiling. "I am Glinda, the Good Witch of the North." Harry stared, dumbfounded. Finally, he found his voice.

"…What?" Again he heard the giggles but saw no one. Trying to calm his growing anxiety, he motioned to the staff in his hand. "Is Lucius Malfoy here somewhere?" Glinda raised an eyebrow at him.

"Oh, you mean the Wicked Wizard of the East. You have our deepest gratitude for defeating him."

"D - defeating him?" Harry stuttered, "Who, me? How?" Glinda gestured to the building behind Harry.

"Why, by dropping your house on him, of course." Horrified, Harry looked to the base of the house. One side of the house did appear to be raised as though it were sitting on… something. Peering into the blackness under the house, he almost thought he could hear a faint sneering voice call out, "You call this a house?"

Harry quickly dropped the staff and backed away from the house as if it was a Blast-Ended Skrewt. As the giggles returned, Harry spun around wildly. He was sure that he could not take much more before going absolutely mad.

"What in the wizarding world is making that noise?" he cried. Glinda just kept on smiling, seemingly oblivious to his hysteria.

"Oh, how silly of me!" she laughed. "Come out, come out!" she called to beings unseen. Taking a deep breath, Harry looked around. Slowly, faces began to appear in the doors and windows. They had large eyes and bat like ears.

"So, it's a village of house elves?" he asked Glinda, relieved to find something he knew at last. She laughed again.

"Not quite. These are the Munchkins." Harry brought his palm to his forehead.

"Of course, how stupid of me…" His sarcasm passed unnoticed.

The area that had been deserted only five minutes ago was now crowded with Munchkins. They gathered around him and gazed up at him in awe. Hedwig glared at the Munchkins threateningly, who were unfortunately not intimidated. One Munchkin, who looked suspiciously like Dobby, stepped forward.

"As mayor of the Munchkins, I is thanking you on behalf of all of us for defeating the evil wizard who is enslaving us. Now we is free!" Harry noticed that they were all wearing clothes, but he suspected that that had nothing to do with it.

"Oh, it was awful!" Glinda added. "He forced them to work for him night and day, the poor things. And without pay! Can you imagine?" Harry half expected her to shove a SPEW badge under his nose any second. "But all that is behind us now. Please, tell us your name."

"It's Harry, Harry Potter."

"Hurray for Harry Potter!" His nerves on edge as it was, Harry jumped a foot in the air as hundreds of high, squeaky voices suddenly began to cheer around him.

"Y – yes, well… i – it was nothing, really…" he stuttered as the cheering subsided. "…but I do need to get home, though I'm not even sure where I am now…"

"Why, you're in the land of Oz!" Glinda said matter-of-factly.

Now, for anyone else from a muggle family, this would have explained everything, if they had somehow failed to see all the other clues. Unfortunately, in living with the Dursleys, Harry had been rather deprived of any classic literature, or any literature at all for that matter. Harry's journey from here on in would have been so much easier, had he ever read The Wizard of Oz, or even known the story. However, he hadn't and he didn't, which is very cruel irony indeed.

And so our poor, literature depraved hero obtained this vitally important information without so much as a flicker of recognition.

"Oz?" he echoed. "Where on earth is that?" Harry suspected that he had finally achieved the same mental state as someone under a Confundus Charm. He shook his head to clear it. "Well, you're a witch, aren't you? Can you send me home? To Hogwarts, please. It's in England. Well, actually, I'm not sure that it is, come to think of it. Scotland, maybe? We'll, it's in Europe for sure…"

But Glinda was shaking her head sadly.

"I'm afraid that I do not possess that kind of power."

"But…" Harry chocked, " but how can I…"

"Hoot!"

"Sorry, 'we'… how can we get home?"

"I cannot help you, but there is someone who can…" Glinda trailed off, giving him a moment of suspense. "The Wizard of Oz!"

"And where can I find him?"

"He lives far away, past the fields and the forest, in the Enchanted City."

Harry sighed, deeply regretting that he didn't know how to apparate. But wait, was he a wizard or wasn't he?

"I could fly, at least. Far better than walking." He reached for his wand intending to summon his broom. His heart gave a jolt as his hand reached his empty pocket. He searched his other pocket, then his inside pockets, then shook out his entire robe, but to no avail. Harry sighed, defeated.

"Well of course," he grumbled, "that would have just been too easy…" Glinda ignored him and continued.

"But the Enchanted City is protected by a spell so that only those who have been there before can see it." Harry puzzled over this for a moment as she paused. "A newcomer will be able to see the city though, if he is wearing the Ruby Spectacles. They were stolen not long ago by the Wicked Wizard of the East, but since you have defeated him, they're yours now!" She beamed at him and snapped her fingers. He heard a 'pop' behind him, then another 'pop' as a pair of glasses appeared in her hand. Harry eyed them sceptically.

They were rather tacky really. They were sparkly and red, and even the lenses looked like they were made out of plastic. They looked more like children's sunglasses than magical spectacles.

"Go on, put them on." She held them out to Harry, smiling more than ever.

"I think I'll just wait until I reach the city," he said, moving to put them in his pocket. Glinda's smile dimmed slightly.

"They will only be safe while you're wearing them…"

"But I don't need them now," he argued, "I can see fine, and besides, they're not exactly something that anyone would want to be seen in…"

Glinda's smile disappeared completely for the first time and she suddenly became extremely stern.

"Oh for goodness sakes, Harry! Stop being silly and just put them on! They cannot be taken from you only as long as they're _on your face_ and we can't run the risk of the Wicked Wizard of the West getting his hands on them! Put them on, NOW!"

Harry backed away alarmed and quickly put the glasses on. Whether she knew it or not, Harry decided, this was definitely Hermione.

Glinda's smile returned as quickly as it had vanished.

"That's better," she beamed, once again her airy-fairy self. It took Harry a moment to find his voice again.

"So… so who is the Wicked Wizard of the West?"

-BOOM!-

Suddenly, there was a clap of thunder and a cloud of thick black smoke appeared only feet from where Harry and Glinda were standing. The Munchkins cried out in fear and disappeared into their houses. The smoke twisted itself into a thick column, then slowly dispersed, revealing a dark robed figure. As the figure emerged, Harry rubbed his eyes in disbelief. When the figure showed no signs of being a hallucination, Harry closed his eyes and began to massage his temples.

"I'm going to have to make a trip to St. Mungo's when I get home," he decided. "I must be out of my mind. Oh, my head…"

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"**Who is the Wicked Wizard of the West?"**

**That's the big question, isn't it? So who do you think it is? A bit of a cliff-hanger, heh heh heh…**

**I'd also be interested to hear your guesses as to who the other characters will be played by. I've already decided them all though (unless you've got a much better idea! I'll credit you if I change my idea to yours).**

**Please review, thanks!**

**_.:) PotentialDarkWizard (:._**

**MWA HA HA HA HA!**


	3. Ch3: If I Only Had A Brain

**So, did you guess who the Wicked Wizard was? Time to see who's right.**

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own Harry Potter, or anything Harry Potter related. The Wizard of Oz isn't mine either. Too bad, eh?**

* * *

.:)3(:.

.:) Chapter 3: If I Only Had A Brain… (:.

The last person that Harry wanted to see right now was Professor Snape. Yet here he was, timing as impeccable as ever, showing up just when Harry thought things couldn't get any worse. But this couldn't be the real Severus Snape, could it? This must be the Wicked Wizard of the West. Typical. Unlike Hermione, he was still dressed like his Hogwarts self, but he looked more evil, if that was even possible.

"Glinda," he sneered, ignoring Harry. "I should have known. What have you done to my brother?" Harry began to feel uncomfortably vulnerable without his wand. Even Snape himself would have quailed under the smouldering, evil glare that the wizard was giving Glinda. Glinda did not flinch however.

"I didn't do anything," she said, returning his gaze. "He was defeated by Harry Potter." Harry stepped back, hoping to leave the argument to the two obviously powerful beings. To his relief, they continued to ignore him.

"No one interferes with a wizard and gets away with it," the wizard threatened, drawing his wand. Glinda merely laughed.

"Well that's just great," thought Harry, "_he_ gets a wand. Where's the justice in that?"

"You have no power here! Be gone!"

He scowled, but put his wand away.

"There's still the matter of the Ruby Spectacles," he growled. "They were my brother's before he died, so they're rightfully mine now. Hand them over!"

"Too late," she smiled, "Harry has them already."

Uh oh.

Harry took another step back as the wizard rounded on him.

"What? Don't be a fool, those belong to me! Give them to me now!" Harry felt as though he were back in potions class with Snape taunting him and daring him to retaliate. But this wasn't potions class and he wasn't a professor, he was an evil wizard. No one could give Harry detention here. He felt his courage returning, fuelled by anger at years of insults. He took a step forward.

"No way!" he yelled. "I'm not scared of you, you stupid, greasy git!"

The wizard raised his eyebrows in surprise at Harry's daring. Then he became furious and his eyes blazed. He reached out to snatch the glasses off Harry's face.

"Why you insolent little…"

"Hoot!" Hedwig began flapping and hissing angrily. The wizard withdrew his hand to avoid her snapping beak. He folded his arms and glared.

"I may not be able to teach you a lesson now, but mark my words boy, I'll get you, and your little owl too!" Then he snapped his fingers and disappeared in another cloud of smoke and clap of thunder. Glinda shook her head.

"He can't hurt you here, but he will not give up easily."

"So it's really very simple then." Harry's voice dripped with sarcasm. "All I have to do is find my way through a forest, by myself, without a wand, to get to an invisible city, without getting obliterated by Snape."

"The Wicked Wizard of the West," Glinda corrected.

"Whatever…" Harry sighed. He'd still be Snape to Harry. Despite his fear of being caught without a wand by a very angry Snape, Harry was feeling rather smug at having finally given Snape a good telling off. Around him, the Munchkins slowly began to come out of hiding and fill the area once more. "So if I can manage to keep from getting obliterated, how exactly do I get to the Enchanted City?"

"All you have to do is follow the Lemon Drop Road!" Glinda bent down and picked up one of the small, yellow stones that made up the road. She offered it to Harry. "Sherbet lemon?" she asked.

"Um… thanks, but no… so this road will take me straight to the Enchanted City?"

"That's right." Harry followed the road with his eyes until it disappeared over the hills, then turned back to Glinda.

"But what if… Hey! Where'd she go?" She was gone. Only the Munchkins remained, watching him expectantly.

"Follow the Lemon Drop Road," they started chanting. "Follow the Lemon Drop Road! Follow the Lemon Drop Road!" They parted to let Harry pass and he hurried off down the road, eager to leave the creepy Munchkins behind. The Munchkins however, were eager to see Harry off, and the farther he went, the larger the crowd following him became. Suddenly, strange music filled the air, and the Munchkins began to sing.

"_You're off to see the wizard, the wonderful Wizard of Oz!_

_You'll find he is a wizard of wiz if ever a wiz there was!_

_If ever oh ever a wiz there was, the Wizard of Oz is one because,_

_Because because because because becau---se!_

_Because of the wonderful things he does!_

_You're off to see the wizard, THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ!"_

Harry began to seriously fear for his sanity at this point, and took off at a run. He didn't stop until he had passed the village outskirts.

.:)-(:.

It didn't take long for Harry's initial enthusiasm to wear off. Head hanging and feet dragging, Harry was plodding slowly along the road. It seemed as if he'd been walking for hours, and there was nothing to see but fields and fields of corn. Nothing but corn and sun. A bead of sweat rolled down the back of his neck. Harry knew that Quidditch referees had been known to vanish, only to show up months later in the desert. He supposed that he now had an idea of how such referees felt.

As he rounded a bend, he found himself at a crossroads. He looked down each path, but they all looked the same as the one he had just come from, and there was no sign post. He threw his arms up in exasperation.

"Well, that's great, brilliant, fantastic! We're stranded in the most bizarre day dream imaginable, following a road made of candy, and now I've got no bloody clue which way to go! Which of these roads leads to the Enchanted City?" he asked no one in particular.

"This way looks good."

"Really? Do you… wait, who said that?" He spun around, but couldn't see anyone. Hedwig began to hiss at something behind him. He tensed and turned quickly, then relaxed. "Oh, Hedwig, that's just an old scarecrow!"

It was a rather forlorn looking scarecrow, actually. He hung limply from a post, his left arm raised, his right dangling limply at his side. His overalls were patched and worn. The mop of straw on his head had turned the colour of rust, probably from too much sun.

"Fancy that!" Harry laughed. "A red-headed scarecrow! Hey, perhaps someone raised his arm that way on purpose." He looked down the path that the scarecrow appeared to be pointing to. Hedwig suddenly started hissing again. "For goodness sakes, Hedwig. It's a scarecrow! It's not even alive, understand? It's… wait… wasn't he pointing the other way a moment ago?" The scarecrow was, in fact, pointing with his right arm, but Harry was sure it had been the left. Harry was looking around suspiciously when he heard the voice again.

"This way is good as well."

Harry searched in vain for the speaker. He looked to the scarecrow and wondered. Maybe… but no, scarecrows can't talk. Then again, nothing was as it seemed here…

"Did you… did you just talk?" he asked the scarecrow, feeling rather foolish.

"Why yes, I did. And I must say how nice it is to have someone talk back!"

Harry nearly jumped out of his socks in surprise.

"I'm very pleased to meet you," the scarecrow continued. "I'd come and shake your hand, but I'm afraid I'm stuck on this post." He flailed helplessly a bit, as if to prove his point.

"Oh, well I suppose that can't be very comfortable, even for a scarecrow. Let me help you."

There was something about this scarecrow that Harry liked immediately. It was as though Harry had known him for years.

Reaching behind the scarecrow, Harry twisted the nail on which the scarecrow was hanging. All at once, the scarecrow broke free and collapsed in a heap on the ground.

"Well that was stupid," Harry groaned. "Sorry about that, I…" He stopped short as the scarecrow looked up at him. Not only did this scarecrow have red hair, er, straw… but he had blue eyes and… _freckles…_

"Ron?" Harry gasped, astonished.

The scarecrow stood up and dusted himself off.

"Sorry no. Well, maybe. I'm afraid I don't know actually…" He sighed. "I don't have a brain you see. You can call me Ron if you like though."

"No brain?" Harry asked incredulously. He looked the straw man up and down. "You seem to be able to walk and talk fine. What would you do with a brain?" Harry immediately regretted the question. Music filled the air again, and Ron jumped out into the center of the crossroads. He began to sing and dance surprisingly well for someone made of straw.

"_I could while away the hours,_

_Confirming with the flowers,_

_Consulting with the rain._

_And my head I'd be scratchin'_

_While my thoughts were busy hatchin'_

_If I only had a brain!"_

Harry stared. He could almost feel a large, animated sweat drop slide down the side of his head. Somewhere in the background, a cricket chirped.

"O-kay…."

"I'm no use to anyone without a brain. I can't even scare a crow!" Ron moaned as a large crow landed on his head. "Boo!" he said.

"Caw!" said the crow, obviously unafraid.

"Ge'off me, ya ruddy bird!" Ron yelled and flailed his arms and ran around in circles, finally forcing the bird to take flight. "See what I mean?" He slumped dejectedly. "Oh well, what brings you to my field anyway?"

"I'm _trying_ to find the Enchanted City, to see the Wizard of Oz. I need to ask him to send me home," Harry explained. Ron was impressed.

"You're going to see a wizard? Do you think, maybe, if I went to see this wizard, he might give me a brain?"

"It's worth a try."

Ron got down on his knees.

"Please, please will you take me with you? I won't be any bother, because I don't eat. And I won't try to manage things, because I can't think."

"But there's an evil wizard after me," Harry warned.

"Oh, I'm not afraid of wizards, I'm not afraid of anything!" He lowered his voice. "Except a lighted match…" He dropped his voice even lower. "…and spiders."

Harry grinned and stuck out his hand to help Ron up.

"Of course you can come, mate. I'm Harry by the way, Harry Potter."

"Yahoo!" Ron jumped in the air and shook Harry warmly by the hand.

"To Oz then?" Harry asked.

"To Oz!" Ron cried, linking arms with Harry. The overenthusiastic scarecrow immediately chose a path and began skipping forcefully down the road, dragging a bewildered Harry along with him.

"_We're off to see the wizard, the wonderful Wizard of Oz!"_

"Whoa! Hey, wait! Slow down! SLOW DOW-W-W-W-N-N-N-N…!"

* * *

**So, how many people guessed Snape? How about Ron, did you expect that?**

**I'd also be interested to hear your guesses as to who the other characters will be played by. I've already decided them all though (unless you've got a much better idea! I'll credit you if I change my idea to yours).**

**Please review, thanks!**

**_.:) PotentialDarkWizard (:._**

**MWA HA HA HA HA!**


	4. Ch4: No Wonder He Hasn't Got Any Friends

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own Harry Potter, or anything Harry Potter related. The Wizard of Oz isn't mine either. Too bad, eh?**

* * *

.:)4(:.

.:) Chapter 4: No Wonder He Hasn't Got Any Friends (:.

By the time they'd reached the edge of the fields, Harry and Ron had slowed to an easy pace. Around them, the fields of corn gave way to orchards of trees.

While the two friends talked and joked loudly, Hedwig sat silently brooding on Harry's shoulder. She was still not sure what to think of this strange straw creature that her boy had been so quick to befriend. As the trees grew thicker and wilder, becoming more like a forest than an orchard, Hedwig was distracted from these thoughts. She ruffled her feathers nervously, and swivelled her head to look in all directions. Though she saw nothing, she could not help feeling that they were being watched.

Unnoticed by the three companions as they travelled deeper into the woods, a dark figure watched their passing with cold eyes before retreating into the shadows.

"So I said to him," Harry was telling Ron between snorts of laughter, "I said to him, 'No way, you stupid, greasy git!' "They both burst out laughing.

"You said _that_ to _him_!" Ron exclaimed, gasping for breath. "He must have… Blimey Harry, was that your stomach?"

Harry glanced down as his stomach protested loudly against the lack of food. He thought longingly of the breakfast at the castle that seemed like a distant dream now.

"I'm so hungry, I could eat a hippogriff," he moaned. Then something up ahead caught his eye. "Look there!" Dashing up the path, he stopped in the shade of some large trees. He gazed up hungrily at the rosy apples hanging from their branches. Picking a nice, juicy looking one, he shined it on his robes and prepared to take a bite.

Suddenly, the tree snatched the apple from Harry and took a swipe at him.

"Get your own apples!" growled the tree.

"But you've got plenty of them," argued Ron, coming to stand beside Harry.

"Oh yeah?" called a second tree. "How would you like it if someone picked something off of you?"

A third tree said nothing, but waved its branches threateningly. Although it too had plenty of apples, it really looked more like a willow tree than an apple tree.

Harry and Ron backed away from the angry trees.

"I know how to get some apples," Ron whispered slyly. He stepped forward and spoke loudly. "We don't want any apples from those _crab-apple_ trees, Harry. They're probably full of worms!"

The trees cried out in rage. Grabbing handfuls of apples, they threw them at the scarecrow. Dodging a barrage of apples, Harry and Ron made a hasty retreat.

"Nothing to it!" Ron laughed, picking up an apple that rolled to his feet. He and Harry started searching the area and collecting the stray apples.

Leaving the road, Harry got down on his hands and knees to recover his lunch. Spotting more apples, he crawled farther in amongst the trees to retrieve them. As he came around the trunk of a large tree, he was startled to find himself facing a pair of legs. He stood up quickly and found himself facing the back of someone's head. Someone with slick, shiny hair. So shiny in fact, that it almost looked like… metal…

Harry moved to get a look at this strange person's face. He groaned softly. The pale, pointed face was identical to that of Harry's school nemesis, Draco Malfoy. The similarities, however, ended there.

His body appeared to be made entirely of metal. Harry rapped his knuckles against the hard body and was rewarded with a hollow echo from within. By the look and feel of him, Harry suspected that this fellow was made of tin. It was obvious that he had been there a very long time. Mosses and vines had begun to climb his legs, and a sparrow had nested on his shoulder. His raised arms held an axe, as though he had been frozen in mid-chop. Seeing that the tree already bore the marks of an axe, Harry guessed that at one point, this tin man might have been alive.

"Having any luck, Harry?" Ron came up behind him with his arms full of apples. "Did you find… whoa…" He let the apples fall to the ground in his shock at the sight of the odd, metal figure. "How long do you reckon this bloke has been standing here?" he asked, peering at him closely.

"I dunno…"

"Mmmmm mnnnnn…"

They jumped back in surprise.

"Did that metal bloke just say something?" Ron whispered.

"Mmmll mnnn!"

"I think," Harry whispered back, "that he wants us to get that oil can." He pointed to a nearby stump on which sat an old oil can. He and Ron looked at the can, looked at the tin man, looked at each other, then looked back at the oil can before finally picking it up.

"Mmrr-eh uh, eh-ee-uh!"

"Sorry, didn't quite catch that. What did you say?" Harry asked, pouring some oil along the tin fellow's jaw.

With much creaking and squealing, the tin man ground his jaw left and right, until he finally forced it open with a sharp squeak.

"I said," he snapped, " 'Hurry up, idiots!' Standing there gawking while I'm rusting away. Do you think I'm standing this way because I like it? Honestly! Now quickly, oil my joints, for goodness sakes!"

Harry paused, taken aback. He had half a mind to drop the oil can and leave, but instead he grudgingly went about oiling the tin man's joints.

"Ahhhh…" the tin man sighed, lowering his arms. "I've been holding that axe up for ages. About a year ago, I was chopping this tree when it began to rain. Before I knew it, I was rusted stiff, and I've been standing here ever since. And as for you!" he cried, swatting at the sparrow on his shoulder which flew off in alarm.

"I don't suppose that your name might be Draco?" Harry ventured.

"No, it is _not_!" the tin man answered sharply. Harry and Ron waited for him to elaborate. He didn't.

"Then what _is_ your name?" Ron asked.

"I - I don't have one… What would I need one for anyway?"

"Well, what do your friends call you?"

A sad look crossed his tin features.

"I… I don't actually… have… any friends…" His sneer suddenly returned. "What of it?"

Ron turned to Harry and whispered, "He's a nightmare, honestly. It's no wonder he hasn't got any friends!"

The sparrow returned and tried to reclaim his nesting spot on the tin man's shoulder.

"Get lost!" he cried, landing the sparrow a blow with the back of his metal hand. Ron caught the dazed sparrow and turned to the tin man angrily.

"How could you do that? He's just a little sparrow! Haven't you any heart at all?"

The tin man scuffed at the ground with his toe and looked down sheepishly.

"Actually, no. When I was made, they forgot to give me one."

"So you'd be nice if you had a heart?" Ron asked.

"Would I? Why…"

He jumped out into the middle of the road and music began to play.

"Not again…" Harry groaned.

"_I'd be tender, I'd be gentle,_

_And awful sentimental,_

_Regarding love and art._

_I'd be friends with the sparrows_

_And the boy who shoots the arrows_

_If I only had a heart!"_

This sounded unlikely to Harry, but it presented an intriguing idea. Get Malfoy a heart and make him nice, hmmm…

He turned to Ron who seemed to be thinking along the same lines.

"Go on, Harry," he urged. "Why not ask him to come with us? I'm sure he'd be a pleasant fellow, once he got a heart."

Harry contemplated this with a sigh, then addressed the tin man.

"We're on our way to see the Wizard of Oz, to get Ron a brain and to get me home. If you want a heart then you'd better come with us. Oh, and you're going to need a name first of all."

The tin man looked as though he were about to make a scathing remark, but then thought better of it. Instead, he said, "I suppose you can call me Draco, it's rather catchy. But what if the wizard won't give me a heart?"

"I'm sure he will!" Ron voiced, encouragingly.

"He'd better," Harry added. "We've come such a long way already."

Suddenly, cold, menacing laughter sounded from behind them. They started and whirled around.

There, on a rise not far from them, stood the Wicked Wizard of the West, watching them disdainfully.

Harry was particularly startled. He had never heard Snape laugh before. He gave an involuntary shiver. It was a sound he hoped that he'd never have to hear at Hogwarts.

"You call that long?" Snape sneered. "You've barely begun. And you two, helping the boy, are you? I could stuff a mattress with you," he said to Ron.

Draco snickered.

"And you," he said, glaring at Draco, "I could make a beehive out of you."

Harry's companions looked wary, but stood their ground.

"Well." Snape snapped his fingers and a ball of flame appeared in his hand. "Why don't you try this on for size?" With a flick of his wrist, he sent the fireball flying towards them, then disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

The fireball landed at Ron's feet. He jumped back and cried out, alarmed. Harry and Draco quickly stomped the fire out before it could spread.

"So that's the Wicked Wizard," Ron said, after the fire was out. "Harry, I'll make sure you get to the Enchanted City, even if I _don't_ get a brain! Hmph, make a mattress out of me!"

"And a beehive out of _me_, pfft!" scoffed Draco. "I'll help you too. I'm not saying that I like you!" he added hastily. "But I like that wizard even less!"

"Then we're off to the Enchanted City!" cried Ron.

As if they had rehearsed it, Ron and Draco each took one of Harry's arms and set off at a fast skip.

"_We're off to see the wizard, the wonderful wizard of Oz!"_

Harry sighed and allowed himself to be carried farther into the woods.

"What a crazy pair of characters," Harry thought to himself.

Nonetheless, it encouraged him to know that whatever he faced in the trials ahead, they'd be there to face it with him.

* * *

**So it's Malfoy, surprised? Congrats to ****Rowan Lily Roarke**** for guessing him!**

**I'd also be interested to hear your guesses as to who the other characters will be played by. I've already decided them all though (unless you've got a much better idea! I'll credit you if I change my idea to yours).**

**Please review, thanks!**

**_.:) PotentialDarkWizard (:._**

**MWA HA HA HA HA!**


	5. Ch5: Just A Dandelion

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own Harry Potter, or anything Harry Potter related. The Wizard of Oz isn't mine either. Too bad, eh?**

* * *

.:)5(:.

.:) Chapter 5: Just A Dandelion (:.

As the three unlikely companions followed the winding road through the trees, they eyed their surroundings warily. Ron and Draco were no longer singing, but each tightened their hold on Harry's arm nervously. Instead of skipping, the travelers were creeping down the path, slowly and softly. Hedwig was silent on Harry's shoulder. She could sense a change in the air. Harry could hardly believe that this was the same forest that he had entered with Ron. The cheerful woods that he had entered not so long ago had taken on an appearance not unlike that of the dark forest.

The trees here were much larger than any before and had a haunted look about them. The land itself had become much wilder, with ferns and mosses and all manner of undergrowth covering the ground and even parts of the road. The air was thick and dank, and the trees blocked out all of the light from above. The birds had stopped singing and all was silent. Except for… a low, rumbling growl…

"W-w-what was that?" Ron stammered.

Harry gulped. "Draco, you lived in this forest. Do any dangerous animals live here?"

"Animals that eat straw?" Ron asked.

"No…" Draco answered. Ron sighed with relief. "Not many." Draco added with a smirk. "But, there will probably be lions…"

"Or tigers…" said Ron.

"Or werewolves…" added Harry. The other two stopped suddenly and stared at him. "Never mind," Harry said quickly, "you don't want to know. Lions and tigers and werewolves…" he murmured.

"Oh my!" exclaimed Ron.

On cue, he and Draco began chanting quietly and walking in time.

"_Lions and tigers and werewolves, oh my. Lions and tigers and werewolves, oh my."_

Harry was getting used to these sudden outbursts of strange behavior but he couldn't even pretend that he understood it.

Ron and Draco's steps became quicker as their chanting became faster and louder, until they were practically shouting,

"_Lions and tigers and werewolves, oh my! Lions and tigers and werewolves, oh my!"_

Harry was getting increasingly aggravated and was about to give them both a good smack in the head to shut them up, but he was saved the trouble.

With an angry growl, a large lion suddenly jumped out of the forest and onto the path in front of them.

"GRRRRRRRRR!"

"ACK!"

All three of them jumped back with a yelp. Draco fell back into a leafy bush. Ron collapsed in a heap in the road. Harry leapt off the road and hid himself behind a tree.

The lion growled again and glared at Ron and Draco, who were shaking. The lion stood up on his hind legs and raised his fists.

"You wanna fight?" he asked. "Put up your dukes! You wanna piece of me? How 'bout you, you clattering junk heap!" he said to Draco, who started clanking even louder as he shuddered. "What about you, you shivering haystack?" he said to Ron , who cowered. "Oh, pulling an axe on me, eh?" he said to Draco, whose axe lay useless at his side. "Sneaking up on me, eh?" he cried, rounding on Ron. "Come on, you pussy!"

"N-now Ron," Draco stammered, "Are you going to let him talk to you like that?"

"You're r-right, Draco," stuttered Ron. "You'd better t-t-teach him a lesson."

"W-what? Why d-don't you teach him?"

"Me? W-well I hardly know him…"

"GRRRRAAAA!" the lion roared.

"ACK!" Ron and Draco cried again.

Suddenly, Hedwig jumped off of Harry's shoulder and started hissing angrily at the lion. Unfortunately, she had forgotten that she couldn't fly, and instead of swooping at him, she landed in a feathery heap at his feet.

"Oh yeah, you fluttering feather duster?" the lion snarled at her.

The grounded owl made a noise that sounded suspiciously like 'gulp', then turned tail and fled into the undergrowth with the lion in pursuit.

Thinking quickly, Harry picked up a rock and threw it at the lion, hitting him square on the nose. The lion jumped back in surprise and promptly began to cry, loudly.

"What did you hit me for?" he sobbed. "I didn't bite him!"

Harry put Hedwig back on his shoulder and confronted the lion.

"Hedwig is a she, and you _tried_ to bit her!"

As Harry looked at the lion, he thought he could just make out a familiar face under all that fur, but he couldn't figure out who it reminded him of.

"But you didn't have to hit me, did you?" The lion felt his face gingerly. "Am I bleeding?"

"No, you're not." Harry assured him, but the lion continued to bawl loudly.

No longer intimidated by this sorry creature, Ron and Draco came to stand beside Harry.

"Well, you really shouldn't go around picking on things weaker than you," Ron advised kindly. Obviously feeling sorry for the lion, he gave him a comforting pat on the arm.

Draco, however, was not moved.

"He's nothing but a stinking coward!" he scoffed.

"Draco…" Ron scolded.

"But it's true," sniffed the lion. "I haven't got any courage at all. I even scare myself sometimes!" He began to wring his tail between his paws. "I'm a mess, I haven't been able to sleep properly in weeks!"

"Why don't you try counting sheep?" suggested Ron.

"That doesn't help, I'm afraid of sheep!" the lion wailed. "I can't remember when the last time was that I wasn't afraid. Then again, I often can't remember my own name…"

It was as if a light suddenly went on inside Harry's head.

"Trust me," Harry told the lion, "It's Neville."

"Is it?" asked the lion. "Thanks, though I'll probably forget later…"

"Harry," Ron said to Harry. "Don't you think that the wizard could help him too?"

"I don't see why not," Harry replied, pleased at the thought of Neville joining their group, even if he was being a bit of a crybaby. He turned to the lion. "Neville, we're going to the Enchanted City, to see the Wizard of Oz, to get Ron a brain and Draco a heart and to get me home. I'm sure if you come along, he could give you some courage."

"But wouldn't you feel degraded to be seen in the company of a cowardly lion?" Neville asked. "I would!"

"Of course not," Harry assured him. "We'd be happy to have you along."

"Speak for yourself," Draco muttered, but fell silent when Ron gave him a not-so-subtle kick in the shin, which clanged loudly.

"My life has been so unbearable, " Neville said, finally calming down. "It's a really sad story, you see…"

Tell-tale music began floating through the trees. Harry sighed.

"Here we go again…"

Sure enough, Neville began to sing.

"_I'm afraid there's no denyin'_

_I'm just a dandelion,_

_A fate I don't deserve._

_I'd be brave as a blizzard,"_

"_I'd be gentle as a lizard,"_ Draco joined in.

"_I'd be clever as a gizzard," _Ron added. They all turned to Harry expectantly.

"Oh, um… _If the wizard… is a wizard…"_ he tried desperately to think of a rhyme. _"…Who will serve?"_

The other seemed satisfied with this and continued.

"_Then I'm sure to get a brain,"_

"_A heart,"_

They turned to Harry again.

"Uh, _a home,"_ he said quickly.

"_The nerve." _Neville finished.

Neville hooked his arm through Harry's, and Harry felt Ron do the same on his other side. Harry's three companions let out one long, clear note.

"_Ohhhhhhhhhh…"_

Harry knew what was coming next.

"Oh well," he thought. "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em I guess." And when they started to sing, he joined in as loud as any of them.

"_We're off to see the wizard, the wonderful Wizard of Oz!_

_We hear he is a wizard of wiz if ever a wiz there was!_

_If ever oh ever a wiz there was, the wizard of Oz is one because,_

_Because because because because becau---se!_

_Because of the wonderful things he does!"_

As they skipped down the road together, Harry was only faintly surprised to find that he was enjoying himself.

"_We're off to see the wizard, THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ!"_

.:)-(:.

Unbeknownst to our happy heroes, a figure was watching them in a magic crystal, far away from the singing and the laughter, in a cold, dark fortress.

"Ah, so they didn't bother to heed my warning, hmmm?" Snape sneered to himself softly. Like any decent villain, he had a terrible habit of talking to himself.

"I know just how to deal with them." He turned to a shelf and took down a small bowl containing red powder. As he mixed in various other potions, he chuckled darkly to himself.

"Once I get my hands on those Ruby Spectacles, there will be nothing to stop me from taking over the Enchanted City. Now let me see, something simple, I think…" He brought the swirling mixture back to the crystal, and pulled a tiny glass vial from the inside of his robes.

"Something unexpected…" He carefully removed the tiny stopper and tilted the vial so that only a single drip hung from the glass lip.

"Something with a little drop of… poison, in it…" When the small drip touched the surface of the potion, it hissed and sent out clouds of red steam. The steam reached out and engulfed the crystal, as if to smother the travellers pictured within who continued to skip along merrily, unaware of the danger lurking ahead.

* * *

**I think everyone who reviewed so far knew that Neville would be the lion, so good on you all and congratulations to everyone!**

**I'd also be interested to hear your guesses as to who the other characters will be played by. I've already decided them all though (unless you've got a much better idea! I'll credit you if I change my idea to yours).**

**Please review, thanks!**

**_.:) PotentialDarkWizard (:._**

**MWA HA HA HA HA!**


	6. Ch6: Where's Hermione When You Need Her?

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own Harry Potter, or anything Harry Potter related. The Wizard of Oz isn't mine either. Too bad, eh?**

* * *

.:)6(:.

.:) Chapter 6: Where's Hermione When You Need Her? (:.

It was with light hearts and joyful cheers that the companions emerged from the shadows of the trees and stepped into the sun at last. After the dark march through the forest, the sunlight was like a Cheering Charm after writing a potions exam. A field of bright red poppies spread out before them and the air was fresh with their scent. Hedwig was hooting happily as a light breeze played through her feathers.

Harry felt his spirits lift. Rising up from beyond the sea of red, he could see the gleaming green towers of what could only be the Enchanted City.

"The Enchanted City, at last!" he cried excitedly.

Ron laughed.

"Let's not get too hasty, we'll get there eventually. I'm not sure how we'll find it… but I know we will!"

"Sure," added Neville. "We'll find the… er… what are we looking for again? Oh yeah, the Enchanted City, yeah, that's what we'll find!"

Draco sighed and rolled his eyes, but even he was in a good mood, so he didn't comment.

Harry turned to them, puzzled.

"But isn't that the Enchanted City, right there?"

"…Where?" Ron and the others were eyeing Harry as though he had just transfigured himself into a coffee table.

"But…" Harry stared back, equally bewildered. "But… can't you… right there…" Then a thought occurred to Harry. He turned back to face the city and pushed the Ruby Spectacles down to the end of his nose. Peering over the rims of the glasses, he could see nothing but blue sky and red poppies. He raised the glasses to his eyes again and the glittering green city reappeared. "Of course, it's the _Enchanted_ City," he explained to the others.

They merely blinked at him, expressions vacant. Harry sighed.

"It means that it's invisible. There's a spell so that only people who have been there can see it, rather odd really, not quite sure how that would work… But anyway, I can see it because I have the Ruby Spectacles, so trust me, it's there."

The others' vacant looks were replaced with smiles and they nodded knowingly.

"Well of course,"

"It's obvious really,"

"I knew that,"

Harry rolled his eyes.

"So, er… What are we waiting for!" Ron cried, and all three of them took off across the field. "Come on, Harry! Let's run!"

Harry laughed to himself and shrugged, then charged out across the field after them.

Ron, Draco, and Neville paused when they reached the center of the field and waited for Harry to catch up. Harry was panting by the time he reached them. He was normally in rather good shape and was not pleased at the thought of being outdone by someone made of straw.

"Don't… don't worry… about me…" he gasped. "I'll be… fine… just a… quick rest…" He suddenly felt very tired and yawned widely. He didn't even notice when Hedwig dropped from his shoulder, asleep before she hit the flowers.

"We can't stop now, we're almost there!" Draco exclaimed as Harry sat down.

"Come on, we'll help you," offered Ron.

"I've got to rest… just for a moment…"

None of them noticed the thick clouds that had filled the sky and smothered the sunlight with unnatural speed.

Harry's mumbling trailed off as he lay down and closed his eyes. He began to snore softly.

Ron looked down at Harry in disbelief and said, "Something must be wrong, we'll have to carry him!"

"What? You must be joking…" scoffed Draco.

"Actually," yawned Neville, "I could do with a little rest myself…"

"Oh no you don't!" cried Draco. "You can carry Sleeping Beauty here."

But Neville merely fell backwards as his eyes closed, landing among the poppies with a muffled 'thump'. Draco gave a snort of disgust.

"Hmph, well I'm sure not carrying _him_!" He turned and looked down at Harry. "Not that I'm going to carry him either but… what is _that_?"

Ron looked at Harry too and gasped, eyes wide with horror.

"Harry! Harry, you've got to get up!"

Oblivious to the others, Harry was having a dream. He was sitting by the Black Lake, looking up at Hogwarts Castle. Suddenly, the Golden Snitch flew by and he immediately got up and ran after it. He could see Ron, Draco, and Neville nearby in their Hogwarts robes, cheering him on. The snitch was just in front of him now, and he reached out to grab it. Before he could, however, he stopped with a jerk as something caught hold of his other arm. He turned and saw with a jolt that it was Snape. Harry tried to pull away but the grip tightened and began to move up his arm. A long, green snake was winding its way up his arm and started to wrap around him tightly. As he fell to the ground, struggling, he could hear Snape's horrible laugh and it seemed to pierce his mind. But then another familiar voice came to him, as if from far away, calling…

"Harry! Harry!"

Hogwarts, Snape, and the snake faded, but the suffocating tightness remained. The calling voice grew louder. Harry opened his eyes.

Ron was standing over him, struggling against long, green vines that were winding up his legs. Draco was nearby, fighting against the vines to reach his axe. Neville was tearing at the thick creepers that had completely covered his face, muffling his cries. Harry looked down at himself and saw why he was having such difficulty breathing.

"Devil's Snare!" he choked, gasping for breath.

Hedwig screeched loudly as a vine tightened around her and her eyes bulged with pressure.

Draco was becoming hysterical and began to yell, "Help! Somebody, help!"

"It's no good screaming!" Ron screamed at him.

Harry was flooded with panic. He knew that if he struggled, it would only kill him faster, but he couldn't even warn the others because the vines were now tightening around his throat. He couldn't move the rest of his body at all.

"Where's Hermione when you need her?" he thought desperately. He thought he could almost hear her voice. In fact, he was sure that it was Hermione's voice that he could hear over Draco's yells.

"Devil's Snare hates sunlight…"

Suddenly, a tiny crack appeared in the clouds allowing a sliver of light through. The beam widened as the hole slowly began to grow. Then without warning, the clouds burst apart as though shattered and sunlight spilled across the landscape.

Instantly, the Devil's Snare started to loosen its hold. It writhed as though in pain and withdrew into the ground.

Harry, Neville, and Hedwig drew large, gasping breaths, and Ron and Draco sighed with relief.

"I- I thought I was going – to die!" stammered Neville.

"Huh! I wasn't scared for a minute!" scoffed Draco, who had regained his usual cool demeanour.

"Oh really?" asked Ron. "Who was it crying 'Help, Help'?" He waved his arms in mock panic.

Harry got up and dusted himself off. After helping Hedwig onto his shoulder, he called to the others quickly, because Draco was looking murderous.

"Hey, guys. The Enchanted City, remember?"

The three of them looked over to see Harry tapping his foot impatiently. He glared at them, but then smiled mischievously.

"If you don't hurry, I'll beat you all there." Then he turned and took off at a run.

Their argument forgotten, the others immediately gave chase.

.:)-(:.

In the darkness of his castle, Snape glared at the four running figures in his crystal. He fiddled absentmindedly with a jar of red potion as he forced himself to remain calm.

"Glinda…" he muttered to himself, then snarled, "Someone always helps that boy!" Losing his cool, he turned and hurled the jar across the room where it smashed against the wall. It shattered into hundreds of glass shards and the dark red liquid began to drip slowly down the stones. Seething and breathing heavily, he turned back to the crystal to regard the four figures who were now laughing happily.

"Ruby Spectacles or not, I'm still more than a match for this _brat_!" he spat angrily. He took out his wand and started to trace lines in the air. Wisps of black smoke trailed from his wand tip and formed words. When he had finished, he waved across them and they formed into a thick cloud.

"To the Enchanted City, as fast as lightning!" he instructed. The cloud instantly sped out the window and off into the distance. As he regained his composure, Snape smiled to himself and whispered darkly, "We'll see who has the last laugh…"

.:)-(:.

Still ahead of the others, Harry grinned as the towers of the Enchanted City rose up before him. He slowed to a stop in front of a pair of large double doors. The sound of running feet grew louder behind him. Judging by the fact that it sounded like a suit of armour was approaching, he guessed that Draco was coming. Harry was therefore not surprised when Draco ran past him, but he was slightly worried by the way that Draco showed no signs of slowing down.

"Ha! Eat my dust, loser!" Draco called as he passed.

"Draco, no!" Harry called back in alarm. "Stop, quick! The city, it's…"

-CRASH!-

"…invisible."

Draco had smashed face first into the door with an ear splitting crunch of metal on metal. He stood there for a moment, pressed against the door, twitching slightly. Then he slid down the door with a low moan.

"Owwwwwww…"

Ron and Neville, who were not about to repeat Draco's mistake, came to a stop beside Harry. Looking down at the heap of metal that was Draco, they exchanged smirks and tried hard not to laugh.

Draco got unsteadily to his feet mumbling, "What 'r ya laughin' at… I'm fine, just fine…" before collapsing again.

Harry chuckled and bent down to help him. Reaching under his arms, he hoisted him to his feet and dusted him off.

"You all right, Draco?"

Draco gazed at him cross-eyed for a moment, then gave his head a shake. Looking at Harry properly, he seemed surprised and confused.

"Uh, well, yeah… yeah, I'm fine… thanks, I guess…" he muttered softly.

Everyone stood quietly for a moment before Draco spoke again.

"Well, what are we all standing around for?"

Ron laughed.

"Oh yes, he's fine all right! That's Draco!"

They all laughed and even Draco smiled a bit.

When they stopped laughing, Neville said, "So, how are we supposed to get in?" Their smiles faded as they pondered this. Since Harry was the only one who could actually see the city, they turned to him.

Harry looked to the door and saw a long, golden rope that he hadn't noticed before.

"I think this must be the doorbell," he told the others. "Here goes nothing…"

He reached out and gave the rope a sharp pull.

* * *

**Devil's Snare, how's that for a twist! Now _that's_ danger. Nothing against poppies or anything, but Snape wouldn't settle for anything so harmless. He did include them though, it's classic!**

**I'd also be interested to hear your guesses as to who the other characters will be played by. Not many new people left now though. I've already decided them all (unless you've got a much better idea! I'll credit you if I change my idea to yours).**

**Please review, thanks!**

**_.:) PotentialDarkWizard (:._**

**MWA HA HA HA HA!**


	7. Ch7: Oz, The Great And Powerful

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own Harry Potter, or anything Harry Potter related. The Wizard of Oz isn't mine either. Too bad, eh?**

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

.:)7(:.

.:) Chapter 7: Oz, The Great And Powerful (:.

-BONG!-

A long, deep chime echoed from beyond the double doors as Harry let go of the rope. He waited expectantly, but frowned as nothing happened. He turned to the others behind him and shrugged before reaching out to pull the rope again.

Suddenly, a round section of the door swung open on a hinge and a large, hairy face appeared in the opening. With some difficulty, he managed to squeeze his head and shoulders through the hole.

By now, Harry was quite accustomed to the sudden appearance of familiar faces. He was surprised, however, when Ron, Draco, and Neville gasped. Surely _they_ didn't recognize Hagrid? But then he remembered, they couldn't see the city. Harry suspected that he'd gasp too, if someone's head and shoulders appeared seemingly in thin air.

Hagrid glared down at them suspiciously.

"Blimey, can't yeh read? Didn' yeh see the sign?"

"Er, what sign?" Harry asked curiously.

"Well _that_ sign o' course!" Hagrid said, rolling his eyes and turning to look to his right. "Right over… oh,er… well…" He grinned at them sheepishly because, of course, there was no sign. Muttering to himself, he pulled himself back out of the opening. A moment later, a huge hand appeared through the hole, stuck a sign on the door, then shut the little, round door with a snap.

The others peered around Harry's shoulders to get a look at the sign which proclaimed in big, red letters: Bell Out Of Order, Please Knock.

Harry raised an eyebrow sceptically.

"Uh, alright then, fine…"

Taking hold of a large, green knocker, he rapped at the door impatiently. Instantly, the little door opened again and Hagrid squeezed back into view.

"Now that's more like it. So, what can I do for yeh?"

Harry sighed with relief.

"We need to see the Wizard of Oz," he said quickly. The others nodded in agreement.

Hagrid's reaction was identical to that of the real Hagrid whenever Harry mentioned Voldemort.

"The wizard? But, no one can see the wizard. No one ever sees the wizard."

"But then, how do you know he's even there?" Harry asked, puzzled.

"Well 'cause… that is, er…" Hagrid's mouth flapped uselessly. Finally he growled, "Yer wastin' my time…" He started to back out of the hole.

"No, wait!" Harry called frantically. "We have to see the wizard… Glinda sent me!" he blurted.

Hagrid paused.

"The Good Witch o' the North?" he asked suspiciously. "Prove it."

"He's wearing the Ruby Spectacles that she gave him," Ron pointed out.

"Gulpin' gargoyles! So he is! Well that's really summat, ain't it? Then o' course yeh can come in!" he cried jovially. "But mind yeh, the guards at the wizard's door won't be about teh let yeh in… Then again, if yeh can answer one o' their riddles…" He suddenly stopped and looked angry with himself, as though he'd said too much. "I shouldn'ta said that, I should _not_ have _said_ that…" he grumbled as he disappeared back through the hole.

There was a click behind the doors before they swung open. This time, Harry gasped in awe along with the others.

The town square was enormous. People were bustling everywhere, all wearing extravagant garments of green and blue. Flowers lined the buildings, and colourful birds filled the air with their song. Sunlight streamed down from above, glittering off of the emerald towers.

As they stared around them, Hagrid pulled up in front of them driving an open, green carriage.

"Come on then! Everyone in. I'll take yeh where yeh want the go!"

"To the wizard," four voices answered.

Hagrid look disappointed.

"Oh, yeah… well alright, I'll take yeh teh the wizard. But first we ought the get yeh somewhere teh freshen up, eh?"

With enthusiastic cheers, they clambered into the carriage. Harry stopped short however, as he noticed the strange creature harnessed to the front. It was the spitting image of a Thestral, with leathery wings and staring, blank eyes. It was considerably less intimidating though, owing to the ruffled, green bows that had been braided all through its mane and tail. Hagrid noticed Harry staring.

"Isn' 'e beau'iful?" Hagrid asked, misty eyed.

Harry gave him a wry smile and sat down next to Ron.

As the carriage trundled across the square, the crowds came together around it and began to sing. Hagrid boomed along with them.

"_Ho ho ho! Ha ha ha! And a couple of tra-la-las!_

_That's how we laugh the day away in the merry old Land of Oz!"_

Tired as he was of these spontaneous musical numbers, Harry couldn't help smiling. They had finally made it. Soon they would see the Wizard of Oz and he could get home at last.

Hagrid drove them to a grand building where they were welcomed by a group of beaming people who seemed to want nothing more than to wait on their guests hand and foot. They showed Harry to an enormous marble chamber where he found every variety of food he could ever want. When he had sufficiently stuffed himself, they brought him to a bathroom even more magnificent than that of the Hogwarts Prefects. As Harry swam through waves of silky, pink suds, he wondered smugly if even the Hogwarts professors had a bathroom _this_ nice. Afterwards, they brought him some clean robes. They had nothing in black, as Harry had requested, but had had no trouble finding an emerald green set. They assured him that it matched his eyes wonderfully.

When Harry reunited with the others outside, they looked very well taken care of indeed. Ron was looking rather plump, and smelled of fresh hay. Draco haughtily brushed a speck of dust from his gleaming chest plate without so much as a squeak from his joints. Neville had little, red ribbons all through his freshly groomed mane and was giving off a faint scent of lavender. One of the attendants brought Hedwig to Harry. Her feathers were smooth and clean, and her wing had been carefully bandaged. She settled on Harry's shoulder contentedly, quite pleased with herself.

"Right then," Harry grinned at the others. "We're finally going to see…"

-CRACK!-

A sound like a whip cut Harry off. All across the square, people began screaming in panic and pointing at the sky. Harry looked up. A dark cloud had appeared and was billowing menacingly, not unlike a certain Potions Master's cloak. While they watched, the cloud twisted itself to form letters. As it became legible, Harry gulped. It was a message of only two words:

'Surrender Harry.'

The others turned to Harry fearfully, as though he might disappear any moment. Ron had gone pale under his freckles.

"I-it must be the Wicked Wizard," he breathed.

All around them, people were crying, "The Wizard of Oz, _he'll_ know what to do. To the Wizard!"

"Come on," Harry told the others, indicating that they should follow the anxious crowd.

The crowd gathered at the far end of the square at the base of a series of steps leading to the largest of all the buildings. A pair of guards in green uniforms were standing in front of a huge pair of double doors and calling to the alarmed citizens.

"Everybody calm down,"

"Everything is under control,"

"The Great Oz has seen it, he's very angry,"

"Yes, very angry indeed, he'll take care of it,"

"Now everyone just clear out,"

"The wizard knows what to do…"

The satisfied crowd soon dispersed, leaving Harry, Ron, Draco, and Neville alone with the guards. On closer inspection, Harry saw identical faces peering out from under their fuzzy guard hats. He also noticed that the first guard's uniform was emblazoned with a large gold 'F', while the second's uniform bore a gold 'G'.

"'F' and 'G'?" Harry asked them curiously.

"Yeah, it's kinda strange. None of the other guards have to wear letters," said the first, fingering his gold 'F'.

"Honestly, it's not like we're going to forget our own names," added the second. "We know we're called Gred and Forge."

Harry laughed, "So you must be Fred and George."

"No," said the first guard. "Like he said, we're Gred and Forge."

Harry's smile faded a little as he waited for them to laugh, but they looked dead serious.

"Oh, well alright…" Harry mumbled, somewhat taken aback.

"So, by the by, is there something we can help you blokes with?" asked Gred.

"We need to see the wizard," said Ron, since Harry was still too surprised to speak.

Both Gred and Forge jumped back in shock.

"The wizard?" cried Gred.

"You can't see the wizard!" exclaimed Forge.

"No one's ever seen the Great Oz!"

"_I've_ never seen the Great Oz!"

"Well I have…"

"Really?"

"No, not really…"

"Ah, good one Gred!"

"Thank you Forge."

"Anyway, sorry mates,"

"But we can't let you in."

"But," Harry spluttered. "But we have to…"

"But he's Harry!" argued Draco.

"The Wicked Wizard's Harry?" asked Forge, looking up at the forbidding message. Harry and the others nodded fervently. Gred and Forge exchanged nervous looks.

"What do you reckon, Gred?"

"Could be serious, Forge…"

They turned to Harry and said together, "Wait here." Then they disappeared through the double doors. Harry and the others waited in the silence of the now empty square.

"So I'll finally get some courage," Neville whispered at last, positively quivering with anticipation. "I'll be the bravest of the brave," he said more loudly. "No one will get the better of me!" he cried, leaping to the top of the stairs. "I'll be King of the Forest!" he exclaimed to claps and cheers from Ron and Draco.

"OY!"

Neville jumped down from the stairs with a squeak and hid behind Harry as Gred and Forge returned. They did not look happy.

"I think I know what the wizard's answer was," Harry thought miserably.

Sure enough, Gred said, "You can't see the wizard!"

"So you'd better just leave!" added Forge.

Ron, Draco, and Neville gaped at each other, their disappointment evident on their faces. But Harry remembered something that Hagrid had said.

"What if we… answered a riddle?"

The identical frowns faded and were slowly replaced with sly, almost wicked grins.

"He thinks he's a clever one, Gred,"

"We'll see about that, won't we, Forge?"

"So if I can answer your riddle," said Harry, "then we get to see the wizard."

The guards eyed him suspiciously for a moment, sizing him up, then grinned.

"Agreed," they chorused. "But you only get one chance." They cleared their throats, then recited:

"_First think of the person who lives in disguise,_

_Who deals in secrets and tells naught but lies."_

"_Next tell me what's always the last thing to mend,_

_The middle of middle and the end of the end?"_

"_And finally give me the sound often heard_

_During the search for a hard to find word."_

"_Now string them together and answer me this,_

_Which creature would you be unwilling to kiss?"_

Harry could have laughed out loud. This was one of the hardest riddles he'd ever heard, when he'd heard it the _first_ time. An image of a sphinx and a dark maze came unbidden to his mind.

"Well, that's difficult, let me see…" Harry said, pretending to think hard.

The twins smirked at each other.

"Ah, I know!" said Harry, "Spy-d-er, spider." He grinned triumphantly. The twins' jaws dropped. So did Ron's, Draco's, and Neville's.

"Well well, he's smarter than we thought, eh Gred?"

"Hmmm, so it would seem, Forge."

"So we can see the wizard now, right?" Harry asked eagerly. The guards exchanged annoyed looks, then took up position on either side of the doors.

"A deal's a deal," they said, opening the doors and bowing. "Straight down the hall, you can't miss it. Good luck," they added in hushed tones.

Harry and his companions found themselves looking down a dark, forbidding hallway.

"M-maybe we should come b-back l-l-later…" stammered Neville, turning around.

"Oh no you don't!" Ron and Draco seized him and turned him in the right direction. They set off down the hall with Harry in the lead.

At the far end of the hall was another set of double doors. Harry hesitated, then knocked. They waited quietly for a moment until a deep, booming voice made them all jump.

"ENTER!"

They did so, huddled together and shivering. They found themselves in a dark, round chamber. At the far end was a raised platform. On either side, jets of flame spewed into the air at random intervals. Floating in the smoke above the platform, they could just make out a large, green head. It glared down at them.

"I AM OZ, THE GREAT AND POWERFUL!" he bellowed. "WHO ARE YOU?"

Harry took a few shaky steps forward and stammered, "I'm H-Harry, sir." He added as an afterthought, "The Boy Who Lived." There was no response to this, so he continued. "We've c-come to ask you…"

"THE GREAT OZ KNOWS WHY YOU HAVE COME!"

Harry quickly retreated to where Ron, Draco, and Neville were standing.

"STEP FORWARD, TIN MAN!"

Draco inched forward.

"YOU DARE TO COME TO ME FOR A HEART, YOU CLATTERING, CLANKING COLLECTION OF JUNK?"

Draco clattered even more as he cowered.

"Yes, y-your Honour. You see," he said, composing himself, "We were walking down the Lemon Drop Road and…"

"SILENCE!" the wizard thundered.

With a yelp, Draco scurried back to the others.

"AND YOU, SCARECROW,"

Ron stumbled ahead of the others to stand before the eerie head.

"YOU HAVE THE AUDACITY TO ASK ME FOR A BRAIN, YOU BLUNDERING, BUMBLING BALE OF HAY?"

"Yes, your Excellency," he spluttered. "I mean, your Honour, I mean, your Wizardlyness…"

"ENOUGH!"

Ron leapt backwards with a strangled cry.

"AND YOU LION,"

Neville mouthed wordlessly for a moment, then fainted dead away. Harry looked down at him, then back to the wizard. He mustered his Gryffindor courage.

"What's your problem?" he yelled. "We just came to you for help, and you scared the bloody daylights out of him! Can't you…"

"SILENCE!" he thundered again.

"Bloody hell!" Harry muttered as the spouts of fire burst angrily.

"THE GREAT OZ HAS EVERY INTENTION OF GRANTING YOUR REQUESTS."

Neville suddenly sat up.

"Really?"

"BUT FIRST YOU MUST PROVE YOUR WORTH BY PERFORMING A SMALL TASK. BRING ME THE WAND OF THE WICKED WIZARD OF THE WEST."

Harry paled. It would take a lot of veritaserum to make him admit it, but he was scared. Battle an openly evil Snape, without even his wand to defend himself? Why couldn't the wizard have set them a nice easy task, like fighting a dragon…

"B-but we'd have to kill him to do that…" Ron stuttered.

"NOW GO…" commanded the wizard.

"But what if he kills us first?" asked Neville, voicing Harry's fears.

"I SAID GO!" he boomed.

Neville jumped up with a yelp and fled the room. When the others hurried into the hall after him, he had already reached the doors at the other end. They were just in time to see his tail flick out of sight.

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**Special thanks to Rowan Lily Roarke for the idea for Hagrid as the Gatekeeper of Oz, brilliant idea, wish I'd thought of it!**

**Please review, thanks!**

_**.:)PotentialDarkWizard(:.**_

**MWA HA HA HA HA!**


	8. Ch8: Morality Tested

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own Harry Potter, or anything Harry Potter related. The Wizard of Oz isn't mine either. Too bad, eh?**

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.:)8(:.

.:) Chapter 8: Morality Tested (:.

The Haunted Forest, Harry decided, was much worse than the Dark Forest at home. The trees were all dead, and were so gnarled and twisted that it was clearly unnatural. There was no sign of life anywhere, save a couple of mangy looking vultures that glared at them with glowing red eyes. The ground was covered in dead leaves, and every crack of a twig made them jump. The worst part was that somewhere in the trees ahead, Snape was waiting for them in his castle.

It was the last place that any of them wanted to wander, but wander they did, thoughts of the wizard's promised rewards driving them on.

"What's that, _what's that?_" cried Neville, as another twig snapped underfoot. He began to wring his tail furiously. "I don't need courage _this_ badly," he moaned. "Maybe we should go back…"

"Come on now, Neville," said Ron sternly. "We just have to…"

"AHHHHH!" Neville cried out in fear.

"What is it?" asked Ron, startled.

Neville whimpered, "Someone pulled my tail."

"You did that _yourself_," Draco growled, annoyed.

Neville looked down at the tail between his paws.

"Oh…" he mumbled, letting it drop. "What if we run into any spooks?"

"Spooks?" scoffed Draco. "That's silly. There's no such thing as… WHOA!" Suddenly, he was lifted into the air, as if by magic, and dropped with a 'crash' a few feet away. As Harry and Ron rushed forward to help him, Neville started to wring his tail again.

"I do believe in spooks," he muttered to himself. "I _do_ believe in spooks. I do, I do, I do, I _do_…"

.:)-(:.

Not far away, Snape was watching Neville in his crystal with amusement.

"Oh, you'll believe in worse than that when I'm through with you," he sneered. Then he called out loudly, "Captain!"

A burly, thickset, ape of a boy in dark green robes appeared in the doorway. He carried a broomstick over one shoulder.

"Yes, my lord?" he asked, bowing.

"Take your team out to the forest," Snape ordered. "Bring me the boy, and his little owl. But be _careful_," he added dangerously. "I want them alive and unspoiled. And don't damage the Ruby Spectacles! I want those most of all. You can do whatever you like with the others."

A wicked grin crossed the captain's features.

"Have some fun with them," Snape continued. "They'll think twice before interfering with my plans again. Now fly! _Fly!_" he commanded.

The captain mounted his broom and took off out the window. He circled the courtyard below where six more dark green robed figures waited. They rose into the air on their brooms and arranged themselves in a 'V' formation, like some cruel mockery of geese. As they sped past the window, Snape started cackling insanely, before he caught himself. He stopped quickly.

"I really need to stop doing that," he mumbled, switching to a much more manly 'Mwa ha ha'.

Falling silent, he moved next to the window to watch the retreating broomsticks. The flickering candlelight cast his face into sharp relief, and his cold eyes glinted evilly.

"Soon now," he muttered softly. "Very soon…"

.:)-(:.

The four companions were inching along the narrow path, glancing nervously about. As they heard a faint rustle overhead, the others drew in close to Harry, hunched and shivering.

"W-w-what was that?" Neville stammered. They all stood still, listening intently.

"It was j-just the wind," Draco stuttered finally, less sure of himself after his brief flying lesson.

"No, look!" cried Ron, pointing skyward. Peering through the twisted branches, they could see seven dark shapes flying towards them.

"It's…" said Harry, straining his eyes as the figures became clearer. "It's…" He straightened up in bewilderment. "…Marcus Flint, the Slytherin Quidditch captain?"

Ron, Draco, and Neville didn't know what that was, but it sounded fierce.

"AHHHHHHHHH!" they cried, and bolted in all directions.

On instinct, Harry reached for his wand. His eyes widened in alarm as he remembered that he was defenceless. He watched, frozen, as the seven figures swooped down through the trees.

"Run Harry!" Ron called, bringing Harry back to his senses. He turned and ran. Weaving between trees and leaping over roots, he could hear the Slytherins laughing behind him.

"Oh damn…" he thought as someone grabbed the back of his robes. His feet left the ground as a pair of Slytherins lifted him into the air. He dangled helplessly between them. Snatching Hedwig from his shoulder, Harry dropped her on the ground before they got too high. She looked up at him distressed, shocked that he would abandon her.

"Hedwig, run! Hide, quick!" Harry cried, but too late. He watched a third Slytherin fly beneath him and scoop Hedwig up. Harry gulped as he was carried higher and higher.

Far below, the remaining Slytherins were terrorizing Ron, Draco, and Neville. They were just in the middle of emptying Ron when Flint called, "Come on, let's go!" They rose up, and disappeared over the trees.

"Help!" called Ron, bringing the others running.

"What happened to _you_?" Draco asked, looking down at the very flat scarecrow.

"They took out my legs and threw them over there," Ron explained frantically, pointing. "Then they took my chest out and threw it over _there_!" He pointed again.

"Well you've really gone to pieces, haven't you?" commented Draco dryly.

"Yeah, they sure knocked the stuffing out of you, eh?" Neville laughed, but stopped quickly seeing the glare on Ron and Draco's faces.

"Just hurry and put me back together!" said Ron, flailing his leaking arms. "We've got to go after Harry!"

"What!" Draco dropped the straw he'd gathered in surprise. "Those flying weirdoes nearly tore you to shreds, and you want to _follow _them?"

"Draco's got a point," Neville whispered miserably. "We wouldn't stand a chance."

Ron stared at them incredulously.

"But we can't abandon Harry!" he insisted.

Draco said nothing, his face set.

"I… I'm sorry," Neville whined. "But … I'm scared."

"We're all scared, Neville," said Ron, not unkindly. "But if it wasn't for Harry, you'd never have left the forest. And _you'd_ still be rusted stiff," he added sternly to Draco. Draco turned away. "After all Harry has done for us," Ron continued, "We can't just leave him. He'd do the same for any of us, because he's our friend, and that's what friends do."

When Neville looked up, there was a fierce glint in his eye.

"You're right," Neville growled. "If Harry can help me find courage, then I can find some courage to help him!"

"Good on you, Neville!" Ron cheered.

Draco spun around to face them.

"That's not courage!" he yelled. "That's just stupid! Who needs friends anyway? I'm going home!" And with that, he turned on his heel and marched off the way they had come.

"I guess it's just you and me now," said Ron sadly.

"Don't worry," said Neville as he continued gathering the stray bits of Ron. "We'll save Harry, no matter… (gulp)… what…"

.:)-(:.

A wave of anger surged through Harry as he watched Snape run his fingers over Hedwig's feathers. Harry wanted desperately to hit Snape, but he knew he wouldn't stand a chance if Snape got his wand out. Harry considered grabbing Hedwig and making a run for it, but there was only one door out of the dark tower room they'd brought him to, and Flint was standing in front of it.

"What a beautiful owl," said Snape, still petting Hedwig. "It would be a shame if something were to happen to her," he added, looking up at Harry meaningfully.

Hedwig took this opportunity to take a sharp bite out of Snape's hand.

Snape drew a sharp breath in surprise and jerked his hand away. Harry smirked. It would have been funny if it hadn't been such a dangerous situation. Harry could see blood dripping from what looked like a very deep cut on Snape's finger. Seething, Snape grabbed Hedwig by the scruff of her neck and shoved her roughly into a metal bird cage which he handed to Flint.

"Leave her alone!" Harry yelled angrily.

Snape spun around and advanced on Harry quickly, leaning in close. Like his Hogwarts counterpart, he obviously had no respect for other people's personal space.

"I'll give you back your owl," said Snape, his voice dangerously soft. "When you give me the Ruby Spectacles."

Harry steeled himself and refused to look away from the obsidian eyes that were burning into his own. He remained silent.

After a moment, Snape said, "Fine," and straightened up. "Take the bird to the river and drown it," he said to Flint, not taking his eyes off Harry.

"No, wait!" Harry called. Flint hesitated.

"Changed your mind, Harry?" Snape asked with a hint of triumph on his face.

Harry paused for a moment to contemplate the irony of the situation. "That's funny," he thought. "Snape would never address me like that."

"Well?" Snape asked impatiently. "The owl, or the Spectacles?"

Harry looked desperately from Snape to Hedwig, then sighed, defeated.

"If I let you have the Spectacles, you have to let Hedwig go," Harry demanded.

"Of course," Snape answered mockingly, reaching out to grab the glasses. But just as his fingertips were about to touch the red rims, tiny bolts of magic like miniature lightning flashed from the Spectacles to his fingers.

"Ah!" This time, Snape was unable to stifle a cry of pain as he pulled his hand back. When the flashing spots of light had faded from Harry's vision, he could see black scorch marks where the magic had touched Snape's skin. Now his hand was bloodstained _and_ burned.

"I should have known," Snape muttered, turning away to nurse his injuries. "The magic won't allow me to take them."

"Why am I always the last to know these things?" Harry thought. Aloud he said, "It wasn't _my_ fault, I didn't know, so let Hedwig go!"

"Not likely," Snape scoffed. He nodded to Flint, who turned to leave with Hedwig.

Acting quickly, Harry rushed past Snape to Flint and kicked him in the shin. With a howl of pain, Flint dropped Hedwig's cage, which burst open.

"Get out of here!" Harry called to Hedwig, who ran across the room frantically.

"Catch it, you fool!" Snape screamed as Hedwig's wings knocked bottles from the lower shelves. Flint rushed to grab her, but before he could, she jumped out the window. Harry's breath caught in his throat as she plummeted from sight. Time seemed to stand still for a moment, and there was no movement, no sound.

Harry didn't notice that his heart had stopped beating until it started again as Hedwig rose up beyond the windowsill, the bandages falling from her wing. It had finally healed.

"After it!" Snape yelled.

"But I don't have my broom…" Flint answered stupidly.

Snape stared at him for a moment, as though unable to believe his incompetence.

"So why don't you go… and… GET IT!" he cried furiously. As Flint hurried from the room, Snape closed his eyes and brought his uninjured hand to his temple. "I'm _surrounded_ by idiots…" he muttered. He opened his eyes and caught Harry smirking. "I wouldn't be so smug if I were you, boy," he spat. "I won't be able to take the Spectacles from you… as long as you're _alive_." He leered unpleasantly. Harry gulped. "But how to do it," Snape murmured. "I am going to enjoy this _immensely_…"

"Oh I bet you would," Harry thought bitterly. He did his best to look defiant and unconcerned.

After a moment, Snape reached for an hourglass on a nearby table and turned it over. Red sand began to drop slowly into the lower bulb.

"That's how much longer you've got to live," he sneered. "And it isn't long…" With a swish of his cloak, he swept from the room. Harry heard a 'click' as Snape locked the thick wooded door. He shivered as he heard the fading echo of Snape's laughter.

Not knowing what else to do, Harry sat down next to a large crystal that was floating in the center of the room, and observed his surroundings. He noticed a dark red stain on one wall that looked horribly like blood. Harry swallowed and looked out the window instead. Staring at the sky, he wondered where Hedwig, Ron, Draco, and Neville were, and if they had gotten away. He felt guilty thinking it, but he secretly wished that one of them could be there with him. He looked over at the hourglass and dismally watched the tiny grains fall. At that moment, he felt very much alone.

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**Special thanks to Rowan Lily Roarke _again _for the idea for the Slytherin Quidditch team as the flying monkeys, pure genius! Can you believe I almost used hippogriffs? Not cool… **

**The only character left for guessing is Oz himself, so if you haven't already guessed, take a stab!**

**Please review, thanks!**

_**.:) PotentialDarkWizard (:.**_

**MWA HA HA HA HA!**


	9. Ch9: The Final Confrontation

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own Harry Potter, or anything Harry Potter related. The Wizard of Oz isn't mine either. Too bad, eh?**

**-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

.:)9(:.

.:) Chapter 9: The Final Confrontation (:.

As the gnarled trees gave way to rocky crags, Ron and Neville pushed boldly onwards. Neville was having some doubts however.

"We're going to die…" he moaned miserably.

"Oh Neville," Ron chided. "Look on the bright side. If Hedwig hadn't found us, we'd still be lost in that spooky forest. It's a good thing that her wing has healed so that she can show us the way to the castle."

"Oh, great," said Neville sarcastically. "Now we can go to our deaths so much faster…"

Ron was about to reply, but as they reached the top of a rocky hill, he forgot whatever it was that he was going to say.

Looming up out of the darkness was a grim looking fortress. Its black towers were like claws, cruel and grasping, and the dimly lit windows gave it the appearance of a gaunt, staring skull. At last they had reached the Wicked Wizard's lair.

"I just hate to think of Harry being trapped in such an awful place," whispered Ron as Hedwig landed beside him. "We've got to get him out of there!"

"But how are we gonna get in with all those guards around?" Neville asked, pointing to the entrance. The drawbridge was down, but there was a long line of guards marching into the castle across it. Each carried a wicked looking spear and wore a long, hooded black cloak. Had Ron and Neville been the _real_ Ron and Neville, they would have thought that the guards looked a lot like Death Eaters, but they weren't, so they didn't. If Hedwig recognised them she didn't mention it.

Neville tuned to Ron and asked, "So, what's the plan?"

Ron laughed sadly.

"Come on, you want me to come up with a plan? I don't even have a brain…"

Neville paused for a moment, then glared at Ron.

"After that speech you made back there, are you going to let a little thing like that stop you?" he asked sternly.

"You really think I could do it?" Ron asked.

"Of course," Neville assured him. Hedwig gave him an encouraging 'hoot'.

"Well…" Ron said doubtfully. He turned to look at the drawbridge again.

Just then, one of the black robed guards jumped out from behind them.

"Ah ha!" he cried.

"AHHH!" exclaimed Ron and Neville.

A quick and furious fight ensued. Avoiding the guard's spear, Neville managed to land a sharp blow to the back of the guard's head, knocking him out cold.

"Phew, we're okay," sighed Neville.

"Think again," sneered a voice behind them.

They turned and saw two more guards, their spears lowered threateningly. Ron and Neville gulped and slowly put their hands up.

Suddenly, the two guards' heads smashed together, and they slumped to the ground, unconscious. Behind them was…

"Draco!' Ron cried joyfully.

"That takes care of _those_ goons," said Draco, dusting his hands off.

"Draco!" Ron cried again. "You came back! I knew you couldn't be _completely_ heartless."

"Of course," said Draco softly. "I couldn't abandon my friends."

"But I thought you said…" Neville began, but Draco cut him off.

"No time for that, we've got to get inside!"

"Right," said Ron, looking down at the three guards. "I think I've got an idea."

As the last few guards marched across the drawbridge, three dark robed figures scurried out from behind the rocks to join their ranks.

"Hurry," Ron whispered to the other two from under his hood. Neville did his best to keep his tail hidden as they passed into the shadows of the castle's dim interior. Once inside, they pressed themselves against the wall and waited for the last guard to round the corner.

"Alright Hedwig," whispered Ron, releasing the owl from under his robes. "Take us to Harry." As they tiptoed down the hall after her, he couldn't help muttering to himself, "It worked, it _actually_ worked…"

.:)-(:.

Harry paced back and forth, frantically trying to come up with some kind of plan. He was too high up to go out the window, and the door was too thick to break through. The walls were lined with various potions, but he didn't have a clue what any of them did, and he didn't want to risk blowing himself up. Besides, Snape would take care of that if Harry didn't get out of here soon. Harry looked at the hourglass and immediately wished he hadn't. There was almost no sand left in the top bulb. He feared that any second he would hear the click of a lock, signalling Snape's return.

But what was that? Footsteps outside the door!

Harry quickly scanned the room, looking for anything he could defend himself with. His heart gave a jolt as he heard a voice through the door.

"Harry? Are you in there? It's us!"

"Ron!" Harry cried, rushing to the door. "You came to help me!"

"Of course, mate!" Ron laughed.

"Please hurry!" Harry called. "Snape will be back any minute!"

"Stand back," he heard Draco instruct.

As he stepped away from the door, it shuddered as though it had been struck a heavy blow. After a few moments of crunching and shuddering, the tip of Draco's axe burst through the door.

"Hurry!" Harry called again, glancing at the hourglass.

With a few more blows of his axe, Draco had cut out the lock and forced the door open. Harry rushed out, only to find himself in a suffocating group hug.

"It's great to… see you guys… too…" he choked. Once they let him go, Harry picked up Hedwig and held her close. She hooted softly and gave him an affectionate nip. "I'm so glad you're alright," said Harry. "All of you!"

From the end of the corridor came the sound of marching feet.

"Uh, I think we may have overstayed our welcome," Neville said.

"He's right, there's no time to lose!" exclaimed Ron. "Let's go!" They set off down the passage, away from the approaching footsteps. As they rounded a corner, Ron pointed and said, "Down those stairs!" They broke into a run with Harry in the lead. They had almost reached the top step when someone emerged from a side corridor and stepped in front of them. With a jolt, Harry realised that they were going to run into Snape, _literally_!

Snape looked up from the parchment he'd been reading and did a double take when he saw the four running figures that were almost on top of him. He reached into his robes for his wand, but just a moment too late.

Harry tried to stop, but his momentum sent him crashing into Snape. Ron grabbed Harry's robes to keep him from falling, but Snape was knocked off balance. He teetered for a moment on the edge of the stair, arms flailing, before falling backwards. After tumbling down the steps three at a time, he landed at the bottom in a heap. Captain Flint rushed over to him.

"Are you alright, my lord?" he asked.

"No, I am _not_ alright!" Snape spat, getting to his feet and untangling himself from his robes. Eyes blazing, he glared up at Harry's retreating back.

"I'll cut your heart out _with a spoon_!" he snarled.

"Why a spoon, my lord?" asked Flint dully. "Why not an axe?"

Snape rolled his eyes and turned to Flint, silently cursing his stupidity.

"Because it's _dull_ you twit, it'll _hurt _more!" he growled.

Flint nodded slowly as he considered this.

"Well don't just _stand_ there!" Snape roared. "Get some troops in here and GET THEM!"

Harry, Ron, Draco, and Neville hurtled through the corridors as Snape's angry cries echoed behind them. Without any idea where they were going, they scrambled down a staircase.

"That's the exit!" Draco said, pointing at an open archway. Before they could reach it however, the portcullis came crashing down, blocking their escape. A host of black robed guards stormed down the stairs and filled the entrance hall, surrounding them. The guards rattled their spears menacingly and laughed.

"Looks like a d-dead end…" Neville stammered.

Harry wondered for a moment about Neville's depressingly appropriate choice of words, but his thoughts were interrupted by a horribly familiar voice.

"Going so soon? I wouldn't hear of it…" Leaning almost casually on the railing of the floor above, Snape was leering down at them. He had clearly been able to compose himself, now that the situation was back under his control. "Slowly now," he said to the guards below who were advancing on the helpless companions. "It's hardly any fun if it's all quick and painless, and I want to enjoy this."

Harry was eyeing the approaching guards when he felt Ron nudge him. He turned to look at Ron, but Ron was not looking back at him. Following Ron's gaze, he saw a large, wrought iron chandelier hanging above the center of the hall. Spotting the rope that was supporting it, he traced the rope with his eyes to where it was tied to the wall next to Draco.

"Surely you didn't think you could escape _me_?" Snape called down to them. He held up the hourglass with the red sand, holding it delicately between his thumb and forefinger. The top bulb was completely empty. "I'm afraid, Harry, that your time is up." Reaching across the railing, he let the hourglass drop. Harry watched it turn slowly in the air, as if in slow motion, before it disappeared from view behind the guards, followed by the inevitable sound of shattering glass.

"Sorry to disappoint you," Harry called, sounding more confident than he felt. "But it's not over yet!" Grabbing Draco's axe, Harry cut the line holding the chandelier. The guards scrambled out of the way as it came crashing down, clearing the way for escape. As he dashed across the hall with the others, Harry thought, "Funny, that usually only works in stories…"

"Seize them!" Snape cried, rushing down the stairs.

Hurrying out of the entrance hall, Harry nearly stumbled as he felt the crunch of glass and sand beneath his feet.

"Come on!" said Ron, catching his arm and pulling him onwards.

"After them, you fools! They're getting away!" Taking the lead as the guards charged after their quarry. Snape swept down the hall ahead of them with furious determination. (Snape never _runs_ anywhere, of course.)

Panting more out of fear than fatigue, Harry, Ron, Draco, and Neville sped through corridors and up staircases. They paused as they rounded a corner.

"Left, or right?" Neville asked, gasping for breath.

"Straight ahead!" Harry cried as Snape and the guards burst around the corner behind them.

Snape held up his hand, bringing the guards behind him to a halt. He watched as Harry disappeared through an open door.

"We've got them now," he said. "You guards, go that way, and you, go that way," he ordered, pointing to the left and right. "The rest of you, come with me." As he whisked through the door, his eyes seemed to glow and his face was ever so slightly flushed, because he knew that the chase was almost over, and one way or another, this _would_ – _be_ – _finished_…

After passing through the door, Harry and the others found themselves on the battlements.

"Just don't look down!" Harry called to Neville who was eyeing the rocks below, his face a pale green.

The battlements led to a slim tower with a rotting door. Inside was a small room that looked like an abandoned guard shack. A bucket of water and a mop stood forgotten in the corner. There was a staircase leading down and another door, this one hanging off its hinges.

"This way," Harry said, heading for the stairs. He paused at the top however, when he heard footsteps coming up from below. As he stepped back, he slipped on a bar of soap next to the mop.

"Well," Harry mumbled into the floor. "I knew it was only a matter of time before I ended up down here again. And my bruises were finally healing too…"

"No time for that!" cried Draco, hoisting Harry up by the back of his robes. He half helped, half dragged Harry out the broken door. On the battlements once more, they had almost reached the next tower when the door ahead burst open and a host of guards poured out. Harry and the others skidded to a halt and dashed back to the small tower. Running past the group of guards that had reached the top of the stairs, they headed for the rotting door to take them back the way came. But before they could reach it, the door swung open and they stopped in their tracks as the room filled with guards behind them. In the doorway, a flash of lightening revealed Snape's billowing silhouette. As he stepped into the room, the candlelight played across his face, illuminating his triumphant sneer.

"Well, well, well… Looks like your little trick didn't work out quite as well as you'd thought. You should have known that it would only make things worse for you when I caught you. And now you've nowhere left to run…" As he stalked slowly towards them, Harry, Ron, Draco, and Neville backed into the corner. "I think it's only fitting," Snape continued, drawing his wand, "that you should be the last to die, Harry. That way, you can watch the other three go before you. And your wretched owl too." He added with a quick glance at Hedwig, who hissed.

Harry glared at Snape silently, determined to be defiant until the end, and to die with his head held high. He only wished that he could have saved his friends from sharing his fate. He could feel them shivering beside him.

"We're n-not afraid of you!" cried Ron, stepping in front of Harry protectively.

"Oh really?" asked Snape, turning his piercing gaze on Ron and raising his wand.

"Ron, no…" Harry hissed, trying to push Ron aside.

"How about this?" Snape laughed and pointed his wand at Ron. A ball of flame blossomed from his wand tip. Ron stiffened and Snape laughed again. "Do I detect a flicker of fear? Oh yes…" he sneered. Suddenly, the fire sped towards Ron and landed on his arm. His eyes wide with horror, Ron flailed his arm in panic.

"I'm burning!" he cried. "I'm_ burning_!"

Harry quickly picked up the bucket of wash water next to the mop, his heart hammering in his chest. He hurriedly tossed the water towards Ron. It was more than enough to douse the small fire, but the majority of the water missed and hit Snape instead, soaking him completely. He gasped in surprise.

"Brilliant, Harry!" exclaimed Draco. "Water _melts_ evil wizards! I'd forgotten!"

They watched Snape expectantly. He was standing quite still, his face hidden behind a curtain of lank black hair, water rolling off his greasy locks. For almost a full minute, no one moved or made a sound. Even the guards had stopped and turned their attention to Snape. The steady drip of water from Snape's robes echoed loudly in the silence.

Then, Snape slowly raised his hands to his face and parted the damp curtain, revealing his dark eyes blazing with fury. It was as though someone had opened a door on a raging inferno, such was his murderous glare.

Ron, Draco, and Neville gasped.

"I don't understand!" Draco choked. "He should be…"

"I do _hope_ – that you were _not_ – under the _impression_ – that a little _water_ – could defeat **_me_**!" Snape spat each word like a curse.

Harry stepped back, startled by the intensity of Snape's malice…… and slipped on the bar of soap again.

With a yelp, he landed painfully on his backside. He looked up and saw Snape looming over him, poised to strike. In desperation, Harry grabbed the bar of soap and flung it up at his attacker.

Snape stumbled back as it hit him squarely in the chest. It stuck there for a moment before slipping to the ground, leaving a large white stain on his robes. He looked down at the smear on his front with disgust, as though it was Hippogriff droppings, and not soap. He started to advance on Harry again, snarling, "Why you insolent little…" Then he paused and looked back at the stain.

The smear of soap had begun to bubble and froth, and it was spreading.

"No…" Snape muttered, brushing at the stain with his hand, his eyes wide. "No, it can't…" The growing stain stuck to his hand and started crawling up his arm. Harry saw him wince, as if it were burning him. As the soap inched up his neck, Snape dropped his wand and wiped frantically at the dreaded substance, his terror showing clearly in his expression. "No! This can't happen!" he cried while the soap crept up around his face.

It was rather horrible, yet strangely satisfying, to watch as Snape disappeared in a cloud of soapy foam, screaming. Once the suds had completely engulfed him, they began to disperse, sinking into the ground. There was no sign of Snape, but they could still hear him.

"NO! NOOOOOOoooooooo………"

His screams faded as the last bubbles popped, leaving nothing but an empty black cloak, soggy but very clean. Everyone in the room stared down at the cloak, speechless.

Finally, a guard said, "You killed him. He's… he's dead…" He looked up at Harry in disbelief.

Ron helped Harry to his feet and Harry looked back at the guard nervously, hesitant to see what he would do. To his relief, the guard dropped his spear.

"We're free!" the guard called to the others. They cheered and dropped their spears as well. They raised their arms and cried, "Hail Harry! The Wicked Wizard is dead!"

Harry sighed, relieved. Then he spotted Snape's discarded wand. He picked it up with a grin at the others, which they heartily returned.

"You did it, Harry," said Ron happily.

"You mean _we_ did it," Harry replied breathlessly. "We won…" He looked down at the wand in his hand, still unable to believe that they'd done it. Then he clenched his fist around the wand and held it in the air like it was the Golden Snitch. "We won!"

"Hail Harry!" The guards cried again. "The Wicked Wizard is dead!"

**--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**Only one more chapter to go! The journey comes to an end at last, and we finally see the Wizard of Oz!**

**Please review, thanks!**

_**.:) PotentialDarkWizard (:.**_

**MWA HA HA HA HA!**


	10. Ch10: There's No Place Like Home

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own Harry Potter, or anything Harry Potter related. The Wizard of Oz isn't mine either. Too bad, eh?**

**Final chapter at last! Do a happy dance…. Oh, wait, I mean, MWA HA HA HA HA! (That was close).**

**By the way, you may have noticed that I LOVE to incorporate hidden quotes into the story, usually from Harry Potter, but I used a very special non-Harry quote that any good Alan Rickman fan should have recognized immediately in chapter 9. I want to know if anyone found it! Leave a little note in a review if you do! Wild applause to anyone who does.**

**And it's finally time to see who the Wizard of Oz really is!**

**---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

.:)10(:.

.:) Chapter 10: There's No Place Like Home (:.

"WHY HAVE YOU COME BACK?"

Upon returning to the Enchanted City, Harry, Ron, Draco, and Neville had gone straight to the Wizard of Oz. Now they stood confidently before the glowing head, prize in hand. Harry stepped forward.

"We did what you asked. We've brought the Wicked Wizard's wand," he said, setting the wand down on the floor. "So now you can keep your promise and…"

"NOT SO FAST," the wizard bellowed. "I'LL HAVE TO THINK ABOUT IT. COME BACK TOMORROW."

"What?" Ron, Draco, and Neville came to stand next to Harry.

"I SAID COME BACK TOMORROW!" roared the wizard, but after everything they'd been through, they would not be intimidated by this bodiless bully. None of them noticed as Hedwig took flight and fluttered off towards something that had attracted her attention.

"You've had plenty of time to think about it!" said Ron, glaring at the wizard.

"We want what you promised us!" added Draco.

"Yeah, _today_!" said Neville, shaking his fist.

"WHY YOU UNGRATEFUL CREATURES! BE GLAD THAT I'VE AGREED TO SEE YOU TOMORROW AT ALL AND NOT… HMM? WHAT ARE YOU DOING? STOP THAT. HEY, STOP THAT!"

Harry raised his eyebrow, puzzled, then turned as he heard Hedwig calling him.

"Hoot, hoot!"

In the corner of the room, Hedwig was attacking a green curtain that Harry hadn't noticed before. A figure in pale blue robes was fighting to keep himself hidden as Hedwig pulled on the curtain. Giving up, he turned his back on them and started fiddling with switches and buttons on a large control panel.

"PAY NO ATTENTION TO THAT MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN!" the head boomed. Ignoring him, Harry and the others ran up behind the strange man.

"Who are _you_?" Harry demanded. The stranger stopped toying with the switches, then slowly turned to face them. "This can't be happening…" Harry moaned.

Gilderoy Lockhart grinned at him sheepishly.

"Uh, er… hello," he said.

"Are you the Wizard of Oz?" Harry asked miserably.

"Well, yes and no…" Lockhart replied, wringing his hands.

"But you tricked us!" Ron exclaimed.

"You're nothing but a phoney!" cried Draco.

"I'm afraid so," Lockhart sighed. "You see, a while back, I came to the Wizard of Oz myself. I wanted to become a wizard and be famous. He told me that it would take years of difficult study and training. Obviously, I was rather disappointed. He wouldn't use his magic to make me a wizard, but he did let me take a look at his wand…"

"What did you _do_?" Harry cried.

"Well, it was kind of an accident…" mumbled Lockhart.

Harry gaped.

"What do you mean, _kind of_ an accident?" Ron asked angrily.

"He really wasn't in any state to continue his wizarding duties," Lockhart continued. "So I was actually doing him a favour by filling in for him."

"Stealing his job, you mean!" interrupted Draco.

"What about getting Harry home? And the courage you promised Neville?" demanded Ron.

"Or Ron's brain, or Draco's heart?" added Neville.

"Wait a minute!" Harry cried suddenly. "What happened to the _real_ Wizard of Oz? Where is he?"

"Oh, uh… I'm afraid he wouldn't be much help…" Lockhart began apologetically.

"Where – _is_ – he?" Harry repeated, taking a step towards him. Lockhart looked at the four glowering figures and whimpered, cowering.

"There, in that room," he answered meekly, pointing.

Harry pulled aside another curtain, revealing a hidden door. He quickly opened it. Inside was a small chamber with simple furnishings. Various objects and rolls of parchment lay haphazardly about on the bed and table, as though whoever lived here had a very short attention span. There was a man sitting on a chair in the center of the room, but he did not look up as the companions entered. The man had long silver hair with a beard to match, a crooked nose, and a wonderfully familiar face. He continued to ignore them as he unwrapped a couple of candies. After popping one into his mouth, he looked up and offered the other to Harry.

"Sherbet Lemon?"

Harry shook his head and tried not to laugh as Dumbledore offered the candy to Neville, who took it eagerly.

"So you're the Wizard of Oz!" said Harry. It was more of a statement than a question.

"Am I?" Dumbledore asked, looking confused.

Harry's smile faded.

"But, don't you remember?" he asked.

Dumbledore furrowed his brow in concentration.

"I _could_ be a wizard," he said at last. "I just spend all my time in here though. Is that what wizards are supposed to do? I do remember the blond fellow with the charming smile telling me to stay here, and he assured me that I could have my job back if my memory ever returned. I can't seem to recall anything that happened before that."

Harry closed his eyes and groaned, "So you won't be able to help us after all…"

"You shouldn't give up so quickly," said Dumbledore, looking up at them over his half-moon spectacles. "If I am not mistaken, one does not have to be a wizard to be helpful. Why don't you tell me what the trouble is?"

Harry was sceptical, but the twinkle in Dumbledore's eye told him that there just might be hope. So, starting from the beginning, he told Dumbledore everything that had happened to them. Ron, Draco, and Neville joined in eagerly, filling in the bits that Harry didn't know. When they had finished, Dumbledore stood up with a smile.

"It seems to me," he said, "That your problems are really that you don't know what your problems are." He laughed at their bewildered expressions. "For example…" He turned to Ron. "You think you need a brain. Well, every creature that crawls the earth has a brain. Even him," he added, gesturing at Lockhart, who had wandered in. "You don't need a brain. All you really need are _ideas_. And by the sounds of it, you came up with plenty of those on your adventure."

"Hey, I did, didn't I?" Ron laughed. "I may be brainless, but I guess I'm actually pretty smart!"

"And you," said Dumbledore, turning to Draco. "You want a heart. As it happens, even the Wicked Wizard had one of those. But he wasn't very nice, was he? That's because one's true heart is not measured by bodily organs, but by the love of one's friends. I do believe that you made some good ones on your journey, am I correct?"

Draco looked at the others and asked, "Would you guys call yourselves… my friends?"

They all grinned at him.

"We'd be glad to," said Neville.

"Of course, mate," smiled Ron.

"Definitely," Harry said, laughing. He was only partly surprised to find that he really meant it.

"What do you know?" said Draco. "I may be heartless, but I have great friends!"

"What about me?" Neville asked. "I still get scared…"

"Oh, everyone feels fear!" said Dumbledore, waving his hands dismissively. "There's nothing wrong with running from danger. You're confusing intelligence with cowardice. You just need to sort out your priorities. But I don't think you'll have a problem with that any more. I believe you've found some things worth fighting for, hmmm?"

"Why, so I have!" Neville exclaimed happily. "I may be cowardly, but I really do know how to be brave!"

"So we each found what we were looking for!" said Ron. Of course we couldn't have done it without you, Harry… Wait! What about Harry?"

Harry shook his head sadly.

"I don't think he can help me the same way he helped you guys," Harry sighed.

"I'm afraid I _can't_ do anything for you, Harry," said Dumbledore quietly. "But I didn't do anything for them either. They didn't really need my help, and neither do you. I think that together, you've all learned a valuable lesson. Can you tell me what that might be? How did _they_ find what they were looking for?"

Harry looked at Ron, Draco, and Neville silently for a moment, thinking.

"Well…" he said at last. "Well… they found out that what they were looking for… was inside them all along…" He looked up at Dumbledore, who beamed. "But how will that help me?"

"Why don't you try it yourself?" suggested Dumbledore. "What is it that you really want?"

Harry closed his eyes. He knew what he wanted, he wanted to go back to Hogwarts. No, that wasn't quite it. Hogwarts was a building, just a bunch of stones. He wanted what was _in_ Hogwarts, what Hogwarts _meant_ to him.

Learning magic, eating in the Great Hall, visiting Hagrid. The students, the teachers, the adventures. Ron and Hermione. He wanted his friends, they were his family… his home.

He could see it all in his mind's eye, almost as if he were there. He opened his eyes… and the image remained. Floating above the table, it was as though there was a window in mid air. He could see the lake, the sloping lawns, and the castle. Then slowly, it faded like a dream. Another useful feature of the Ruby Spectacles, no doubt.

"Did you find what you were looking for?" asked Dumbledore.

"Yeah," Harry breathed. "Yeah, I did… I-I know what I have to do! I'm going home." He stepped towards the table, but stopped when he heard a voice behind him.

"Goodbye, Harry," Ron said softly.

Harry turned to Ron, Draco, and Neville, who were smiling at him sadly.

"We'll miss you, Harry," said Ron.

"Couldn't have done it without you," added Draco.

"Yeah, thanks for everything," sniffed Neville.

"Hedwig and I will miss you guys too," Harry smiled. They came together for one last group hug. As they stepped back, he turned to Dumbledore. "But what about you? You can't let _him_ be the Wizard of Oz." He jerked his head in Lockhart's direction.

"If I really was the wizard," said Dumbledore, "Then I should get to choose my own successor, right?"

"You can still be the wizard," argued Harry.

"I could help," Dumbledore said, grinning. "But somebody else should be in charge, three somebodies in fact. And for that, I appoint Ron, by virtue of his intelligence, Draco, by virtue of his kindness, and Neville, by virtue of his bravery."

"Thank you, sir!" the three cried, positively beaming with pride.

"I do believe that you can rest assured, Harry, that Oz will be in very good hands indeed," said Dumbledore. "And now I think it's time for you to be getting home."

Harry nodded and walked over to the table. Climbing up on it, he stood at the far edge where he had seen the floating image of Hogwarts. He closed his eyes and concentrated. Dumbledore's voice cut across his thoughts.

"Now say to yourself, 'There's no place like home'."

"Will that help?" asked Harry.

"Probably not," Dumbledore replied. "But it's a nice touch, don't you think?"

"Oh well, why not?" Harry thought to himself. He thought hard about Hogwarts and his friends, and whispered, "There's no place like home. There's no place like home…" With complete confidence in what he was about to do, he stuck out his foot and stepped off the end of the table. It was with a rather sick feeling in his stomach that he felt himself fall forward through the air. If he had opened his eyes, the last thing he would have seen before losing consciousness was the ground rushing up to meet him.

.:)-(:.

There was nothing, nothing in Harry's mind but darkness.

"Am I… dead?" he thought sluggishly. But judging by the throbbing ache in his skull, he was probably not. A voice came to him from far away.

"Harry… Harry, are you alright, mate?"

Ron's voice, Harry realised, followed by Dumbledore's.

"I do believe he's coming around."

As Harry regained consciousness, he kept his eyes closed and groaned to himself.

"Why didn't it work?" he thought miserably. "I was so sure, I should have stepped through to Hogwarts, not landed on my face! I must have looked like such an idiot…"

"Can you hear me, Harry?" Ron was calling him again.

"Oh Harry, we were so worried!" And that was… Hermione?

Harry opened his eyes. He was lying down and there was a group of people standing around him, but he couldn't figure out who they were. They were all blurry. But that could only mean…

"I'm back!" he cried happily.

"It's alright, Harry," he heard Hermione say. "You just hit your head a bit hard."

Harry felt someone put his glasses in his hand and he put them on, bringing the room into focus. He could see at once that he was in the hospital wing. Deep gold sunlight was shining through the windows, and he guessed that it was nearly sunset. There was a ring of people standing around him and he could see them clearly now. There was Ron, Hermione, Neville, Hagrid, Madam Pomfrey, and Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Snape. They were all looking down at him, concerned (some less concerned than others, but concerned nonetheless). Harry traced the line of faces with his eyes, but when he reached Snape, he gave a stifled yelp and tried to jump backwards. Since he was in a bed however, all he managed to do was tumble off the side and land in a heap at Ron's feet. Snape rolled his eyes and folded his arms.

"Easy Harry!" exclaimed Ron, helping Harry to his feet. Harry looked at his two best friends and his face split into an enormous grin. He pulled them both into a tight hug.

"I missed you guys so much!" he cried.

"Wha…" Ron gasped in surprise. "Yeah, uh… good to see ya, mate…"

"That was such an awful storm," said Hermione when Harry let them go. "We didn't know _what_ had happened when you didn't come back with the rest of the Quidditch team. We had to wait for the storm to pass before we could search the grounds."

"But Neville almost went out in the storm to look for you!" added Ron.

"That's Neville!" laughed Harry, and he gave a very surprised Neville a hug as well.

"It might have taken us forever to find you," Hermione continued. "But Ron came up with a brilliant idea!" Ron blushed at Hermione's praise. He suggested that we send out the Quidditch teams to look for you."

"Funnily enough," said Ron. "It was Malfoy who found you…" He stepped aside and Harry saw Malfoy standing awkwardly in the corner, twiddling with his broom handle.

Harry grinned at him and said, "Thanks, Draco!" Ron gave Harry a funny look.

"Yeah, well…" Malfoy grumbled. "It was a one time thing, Potter. And I don't want any hugs!"

Dumbledore chuckled.

"Perhaps you ought to rest Harry," he said. You've had quite the accident today. Oh, and you'll be happy to know that Hedwig is fine, though somewhat frazzled. We sent her off to the owlery to calm down."

"Wait, _today_?" Harry asked, confused. "But I've been gone for _ages_!"

"You were only in Hagrid's hut for a couple of hours," Ron said, eyeing Harry worriedly.

"No, no," said Harry quickly. "I was in Oz, the wind took me there! I wanted to get back, so Hermione told me to go to the Enchanted City, only she wasn't _really_ Hermione, she was Glinda… and she gave me the Ruby Spectacles, but the Wicked Wizard wanted them…" Harry was careful not to look in Snape's direction. "And I met a scarecrow, but he was you…" He pointed at Ron. "And you were a lion," he said to Neville. "And you were made of metal!" he pointed to Draco. "It was a really long trip, but we finally got there, then the Wizard of Oz told us…" Everyone was staring at Harry with very worried looks. "What?" he asked innocently.

"Uh, Harry," said Ron. "I think you may have hit your head harder than we'd thought."

.:)-(:.

All was quiet and peaceful as Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall walked across the entrance hall. All the students were in class, so there was no one to interrupt their conversation.

"Albus," McGonagall was saying. "Are you sure Potter will be alright? It's been almost a week since the storm and he's still acting a bit… strange. I saw him pass Malfoy in the corridor the other day, and he greeted him like an old friend!"

"Well, I think that's an improvement, don't you?" Dumbledore laughed.

"Malfoy doesn't seem to think so. He was rather unnerved by the incident. And Potter is going to unusually great lengths to avoid Severus. He seems to dread going to Potions. Not that he liked it before of course, but he almost seems… frightened," McGonagall said with a worried look.

"Has Severus been giving him a hard time?" Dumbledore asked curiously.

"Not at all!" exclaimed McGonagall. "On the contrary, he thought it would be best to give Potter some time to recuperate. That's what makes it so surprising. But Severus is getting increasingly irritated by Potter's behaviour."

"Have you talked to Severus about it?" asked Dumbledore.

"I have."

"And what did he say?"

"Oh, you know Severus," McGonagall sighed. "Something sarcastic and unhelpful."

"I'm sure that things will be back to normal soon," said Dumbledore confidently.

"Perhaps, but…"

Suddenly, the peace was shattered as the door to the dungeons burst open. Harry Potter himself came flying out and hurtled past them across the hall.

"Mr. Potter!" McGonagall exclaimed.

"Sorry Professors! Can't stop now!" Harry gasped, rushing up the stairs.

"Mr. Potter!" McGonagall called. "Where do you think you're…?" But she was interrupted again.

"POTTER!"

Professor Snape came bursting into the hall.

"When I get a hold of you, Potter, you're going to be in the hospital wing for a MONTH!" he roared.

"Severus!" gasped McGonagall. "What is the meaning of…?"

But he ignored her as he ran past. Not just sweeping, but flat out _running,_ his cloak flapping and his hair bouncing ungracefully around his face. He rushed up the stairs after Harry and disappeared from sight.

"What was _that_ all about?" McGonagall said to Dumbledore, who was looking up the stairs with an expression of mild interest.

Gryffindor and Slytherin students, who were presumably Snape's Potions class, began to emerge slowly from the door to the dungeons. Some looked worried, but most seemed to be fighting the urge to laugh.

"What on _earth_ is going on?" McGonagall asked them. They all started talking at once.

"We were just in the middle of class…"

"They weren't even fighting…"

"Potter must have a death wish, eh?"

"I don't know _what_ he was thinking…"

"He just stood up and _threw_ it at him…"

"That's enough!" exclaimed Professor McGonagall. "Miss Granger, will you kindly tell me what happened? _What_ did Potter throw at Professor Snape?"

"Well, um…" Hermione fiddled with her robes nervously. "It was… well… it was a bar of soap." The class burst out laughing and McGonagall frowned.

Dumbledore did not smile, but his twinkling blue eyes betrayed his amusement.

"Well, Minerva," he said mischievously. "Looks like another normal day at Hogwarts."

.:) _The End_ (:.

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**Hooray! That's it, I hope you liked it! I had tons of fun writing it. **

**How about Lockhart eh? No one saw that coming, except… Tarquin the Proud! A round of applause for being the only one to guess the man behind the curtain (and just in time too!). And everyone who said Dumbledore was right as well, so good for you! It would have been a crime not to be Dumbledore.**

**Please leave me a review if you liked it and thanks for reading!**

_**.:) PotentialDarkWizard (:.**_

**MWA HA HA HA HA!**


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